The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is appealing for public volunteers to assist in repacking family food packs following extensive relief operations across disaster-stricken communities.
Volunteer activities are currently underway from Monday to Saturday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu.
The repacking drive comes as the agency seeks to restore its national inventory to its target of five million food packs, a milestone previously achieved prior to the onset of monsoon rains and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian has instructed the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) to accelerate production so supplies remain strategically prepositioned in roughly 1,000 warehouses across the country.
NRLMB Officer-in-Charge Director Jun Eso highlighted the importance of maintaining pre-disaster inventory levels:
“Before po ng [bagyong] Luis, Maymay, at Neneng, we reached 5 million family food packs, and it’s a milestone for DSWD to have this strategically prepositioned all over the country. In case of any disaster, we could easily transport these family food packs to the affected communities,” Eso stated.
To maintain safety and efficiency, the agency has established basic guidelines for participants. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old—or accompanied by a guardian if younger, due to industrial equipment inside the facilities—and are required to wear closed-toe shoes. While walk-ins are permitted, advance registration is recommended to streamline scheduling.
Eso outlined what participants can expect during their shift:
“We would do brief orientation kung ano ’yung gagawin sa loob, and then at least 4 hours po [pwedeng] ma-render ng volunteer doon para ma-maximize din ’yung time natin while nandoon tayo kasi mayroon din tayong quota na niri-reach everyday,” Eso added.