The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a bid to encourage and promote volunteerism in the delivery of social protection programs and services in the country.

During the ceremonial signing of the MOU at the DSWD Central Office on Tuesday (August 22), DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the importance of time offered by organized citizens in mainstreaming volunteerism across the social welfare and development landscape.

“We all know that the most precious commodity is time. I have always come to realize that people always find it easy to do social responsibility programs by donating, but when we ask them for time, that is something that they cannot give,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

The DSWD chief stressed that the Department is looking forward to this partnership “because we know that not only we will be able to harness the most expensive commodity out there, which is time, but we will be able also to use them efficiently in a right direction”.

Secretary Gatchalian also expressed his gratitude to the PNVSCA for leading the promotion and coordination of volunteer programs and services on social protection delivery.

“And we know that there are so many good doers out there, it’s such that walang nagcha-channel nung energy nila to the right direction,” the DSWD chief added.

The MOU signed by Secretary Gatchalian and PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James Gawe aims to establish a mechanism where volunteer organizations and individuals can be involved in the implementation of social protection programs and services.

“Today is indeed a significant milestone in our effort to promote volunteerism as a tool for nation-building,” Executive Director Gawe said.

The DSWD is among the first government agencies that adopted the PNVSCA’s Bayanihan Bayan Program, the government’s volunteer program that encourages volunteerism among Filipinos and enjoins government employees to volunteer service in social, economic, and humanitarian development undertakings in the community.

“It is timely that the DSWD has renewed and revised this initiative given our whole-of-society approach to addressing socio-economic concerns,” the executive director pointed out.

The Department is working with volunteer groups and individuals during disaster response, particularly in repacking food packs and in loading and unloading of relief goods, among others. #