DSWD needs more volunteers for repacking of relief supplies

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Office in Davao Region has called for more volunteers to help in the repacking of relief goods for the survivors of typhoon Pablo in the provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela at the Interagency Relief Operations  Center  within the compound of the Department and Highways 11 in Panacan.
Evangeline Grandeza,  integrated-gender development officer of the Pantawid-Pamilyang Pilipino Program of DSWD 11 said the number of volunteers involved in the packing of food packs intended for the survivors dwindled since Christmas Day as warm bodies took a break for the holidays.
She said that workers from the DSWD,  police and soldiers are leading the effort of packing and loading the relief goods to cargo trucks which bring the assistance to the relief hubs in Trento, Agusan del Sur and Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.
“We laud the effort of the police and the soldiers under the Eastern Mindanao Command for mustering volunteers to help us repack the relief goods, but we need to sustain the effort as more residents in towns hardest hit by the typhoon still need help,” Grandeza said.
She said campus based organizations, fraternities, civic organizations and motorcycle clubs offered assistance on the first two weeks of the disaster relief operation but they were also gone for the holidays.                          
Grandeza appealed to the city residents to keep the interest to help sustained and be included in their routine for the sake of the survivors of the typhoon.
“Let’s continue our volunteer work for the sake of the typhoon victims,” she said.
Grandeza cited the need to organize the entry of volunteers since there are days that their number is overwhelming but oftentimes, only few come to help in the repacking of goods.
She stressed that the relief operation must keep up with the needs of the families in hardest hit areas.
“We have to help. We cannot postpone the hunger of the people who need our assistance everyday,” Grandeza said.
She said workers from the DSWD, Police Region Office XI and the Eastern Mindanao Command are the current backbone in the repacking efforts.
 Grandeza said that despite the presence of government personnel, the repacking effort needs the support of 150 volunteers for an eight-hour a day work.
She said lunch and dinner are free for volunteers, but they are also encouraged to bring their own food.
Grandeza also discouraged families especially those with children to volunteer since there are danger zones within the repacking area like stacks of sacks of rice and canned goods. [PIA-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines]