Pasay City – As the Philippines is about to commemorate the National Heroes Day, the country again bears witness to an explicit example of modern-day Filipino heroism.
Since August 20, a total of 5,179 volunteers have trooped to the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Pasay City to help with the relief operations for the victims of heavy rains spawned by typhoon Maring.
As of 12:00 noon of August 25, the last day of the operations, they were able to repack 116,202 family food packs and 2,884 non-food items for distribution to the six regions affected by the calamity.
“I am ecstatic and humbled with the turnout of volunteers. They are testament that Filipino heroism is very much alive,” expressed DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman who was at NROC with the volunteers.
The call started from Secretary Soliman’s personal Twitter account (@dinkysunflower) and spread through other social networking websites.
Happy to help
Erwin Cabasa, 39 years old, learned about the relief mission online.
“Nabasa namin sa Facebook at Twitter ang panawagan na nangangailangan ng volunteers kaya tumawag ako sa NROC para magpa-schedule, (We read over Facebook and Twitter the DSWD’s call for volunteers so we immediately called NROC to get a schedule,)” the Boy Scout team leader of the Fort Bonifacio High School Volunteers recalled.
Cabasa added, “Nag-ikot ang isa naming lay-leader na si Augusto Zaballa sa mga bahay ng mga boy scouts para mag-imbita ng sasama. Eleven boy scouts ang tumugon sa imbitasyon na sinuportahan ng kanilang mga magulang, (Our lay leader went house to house to invite volunteers and eleven responded to our invitation with the permission of their parents.)”
Forth year high school student and senior boy scout Chuckie Pillas noted, “masaya akong makatulong sa kapwa. (I am happy to serve my fellowmen.)“
The volunteers came from all walks of life. There were students, employees of private companies, government employees, military personnel, members of civil society organizations and members of the clergy who came with their families and friends to take part in this endeavor.
Dennis Sacdalan, 24, of Phi Kappa Mu, UP Manila College of Medicine shared how their organization got involved.
“Phi Kappa Mu has a service coordinator, Miko Amante, who coordinates volunteer activities of the medical fraternity. He called DSWD-NROC to offer their help in repacking goods for the victims of Maring. Ten doctors and medical students volunteered their services, who either came from hospital duty or will go directly to their duty after their volunteer service,” Sacdalan narrated.
Johida Pedtukasan, 42, from Port Area Manila recounted, “Sumama ako sa kaibigan sa pag-volunteer kahit binaha din dun sa erya namin. Hindi naman naapektuhan ang bahay namin kaya nagdesisyon akong mag-volunteer. Masayang makatulong kami sa kapwa. (I joined a friend even if our area also got flooded. Our house was not directly affected so I decided to volunteer. I am happy that I am able to help.)”
Riczenlee Y. Solamillo, 21, leader of the youth ministry team of the Tabernacle of Praise Church in Dasmarinas, Cavite related that he was online on twitter when he saw the DSWD’s call for volunteer.
“I called the DSWD to inquire and by early morning, I texted my friends. With nine of my friends, we came to NROC,” Riczenlee shared.
He added, “Masaya akong makakatulong kami sa kapwa lalo na nakita namin sa telebisyon ang epekto ng habagat. Kahit hindi galing sa amin mismo ang mga relief, masaya kaming makatulong sa kapwa naming Filipino. (We are happy to help especially that we saw the extent of the damage. Even if the goods are not from us, we are happy that we are able to help our fellow Filipinos.)”
A friend of Riczenlee, John Lemuel Dominguez, 18, backed, “Kaysa tumambay ako, mas maganda nang tumulong ako sa pag-volunteerdito sa pagre-repack ng relief. Kahit mapagod kami nang kaunti, masaya naman kami sa aming ginagawang pag-volunteer. (Instead of bumming around, it is better if we volunteer here and help repack. Even if we get little tired, it would not matter as we are happy with what we are doing.)”
Two volunteers, Erika Joy Reyes and Janel Guitierez, even decided to celebrate their respective birthday at the Center.
Thousands repacked
Secretary Soliman was amazed at how fast the volunteers repacked goods.
On August 20, with only 182 volunteers, some 7,400 family food packs were repacked. The next day, 1,175 volunteers repacked 20,014 family food packs. On August 22, a total of 1,022 volunteers did 31, 328 pieces while the day after, 1,669 volunteers finished 32,970 packs.
While on August 24, some 980 volunteers repacked 18, 490 family food packs; and on August 25, as of 12:00 noon, 151 volunteers finished 6,000 packs.
Rapacking of family kit
Aside from repacking family food packs, the volunteers also repacked family kits for distribution to families in the evacuation centers.
Secretary Soliman explained that the family kits will replace the kitchen utensils, cooking wares and other things that were lost or damaged during the height of heavy rains and flooding.
DSWD alotted P20.60 million for the 20,000 family kit, each containing a kaldero, a kawali, ladle, plastic wares such as plates, glasses, spoons and forks, mats and mosquito nets.
Cost of Assistance
As of press time, the cost of assistance to affected families already totalled to P70.8 million of which P32 million came from DSWD, P32.9 million from LGUs, and P5.9 million from NGOs and other groups.
Still living in the 384 evacuation centers are 19,853 families. Region III still has the most number of evacuation centers with 183 serving 7,642 families. Evacuation centers in NCR are now down to 22 providing temporary shelter to 601 families.#
