As the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7 (DSWD-7) moves forward in improving and strengthening the provision and delivery of immediate relief assistance to disaster-affected families, it seeks partnership and collaboration with various organizations who are willing to extend help through time and effort in the production of food and non-food items and be part of the Department’s pool of volunteers.

Because of this, the DSWD-7, represented by OIC-Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, and several organizations in Negros Oriental signed a Memorandum of Agreement for Volunteer Services on July 15, 2022, in Dumaguete City.

Among the organizations that have agreed to extend service are the 204th PCGA Squadron, Negros Maritime College Foundation Inc., Silliman University – Social Work Department, Saint Louis School of Don Bosco, and Dumaguete Barangays: Poblacion 3, Poblacion 4, Poblacion 5, Poblacion 6, Poblacion 8, Calindagan, and Tinago.

The move to officially recognize their commitment and bind these partnerships has added fuel to the volunteers’ burning passion to genuinely help the region, especially in times of disaster.

In her short message, as the group of organizations’ representative, Capt. Judith V. Arnaez, of the 204th Philippine Coast Guard Auxilliary in Negros Oriental, expressed how a simple smile and words of gratitude ignite their willingness to serve more.

“It is such an honor for us, volunteers, to continue our service at DSWD.” Ang sarap po ng feeling na naka-help, hindi po kami nag e-expect ng anything in return. We have a 6-figure salary and that is SMILES—yung pagngiti pa lang po na nakikita sa inyong mga mata at yung mga salamat, malaking tulong na po sa amin yun to continue serving for others,” Capt. Arnaez said.

For the Department’s part, Director Lucero emphasized the importance of having partner organizations, especially for the production of FNFI, having learned a lot from the experiences brought by Typhoon Yolanda and Odette.

“We are very grateful for your commitment to be able to join DSWD, especially in our activities related to disaster response. Ang atong experience na sa Yolanda and Odette gave us more lessons. Dili gyud madala ni DSWD, even with enough resources, without the right manpower to support I am very happy nga anaa ang atong mga estudyante, atong mga kauban sa barangay ug nindot pud kaayo nga atong mabuhi ang atong spirit of volunteerism. I am looking forward to strengthening this partnership and expanding it,” Dir. Lucero said.

As of this writing, DSWD-7 is set to sign in more volunteer organizations from all over Central Visayas as meetings and discussions with representatives are being conducted every now and then to really generate a pool of willing individuals ready to be activated whenever needed.

However, while the Department commits to providing the needed basic services to disaster-affected families through the provision of FNFI and intensive disaster preparedness and response training, the local government units (LGU) are the first responders to the occurrence of natural and man-made calamities, based on Republic Act 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. ###

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