‘Yolanda’ victims’ plight spurs Metro residents into action

Moved by heartrending images of the devastation wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in Leyte and Eastern Samar, Metro Manila residents have started trooping to relief agencies to help in the repacking of food packages for victims.

At the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office in Pasay City, scores of people—young and old, locals and expatriates, in groups or either by themselves—showed up to lend a hand.

Since Saturday, Erik Caseres, a 42-year-old overseas Filipino worker who recently came home for a vacation, has been helping DSWD personnel repack relief items at the Pasay-based National Resource Operations Center, which is operating in shifts round-the-clock.

“I can’t just sit and watch the news. Since I cannot go to the affected areas, I decided to volunteer here and help in my own little way by carrying sacks of rice and repacking goods,” said Caseres who has to travel from his house in Pasig to the center where he spends at least three hours a day.

Virginia Petronio, a social welfare officer, said the outpouring of help from people was “overwhelming.” Since Saturday, 2,884 people have gone to the center to volunteer.

“There are times when there are more volunteers than goods to be repacked,” she added.

As of Monday, the corridors of the DSWD office were filled with donations from organizations and individuals.

“There are so many people who want to help. We welcome any contribution, no matter how big or small,” said Patrick John Reyes, head of the Volunteer Management Section.

Since the number of people showing up at the DSWD compound keep on increasing every day, Reyes advised the volunteers to call them up first so that they could be accommodated.

At 1 p.m., as some exchange Korean students were leaving the DSWD center, five women foreigners walked in.

One of them, Joyce Keen from Great Britain, said she has signed up as a volunteer for the DSWD since 2011. This time, she brought to the center four other women.

Reyes said there were even call center agents who would volunteer after working the night shift. “They know that we can’t pay them nor can we offer meals or snacks. And yet they still keep coming,” he told the Inquirer.

“I just want to help ease their pain,” said a teary-eyed Trix Aquivido, a call center agent who was putting canned goods into a bag at a Red Cross center in Mandaluyong City. “They need our help, it’s the least I can do.”

Aquivido is one of 192 volunteers who have shown up at the Mandaluyong Red Cross chapter since it opened its doors on Sunday to private individuals willing to repack goods to be sent to “Yolanda” victims, said Reynard Francisco, Mandaluyong Red Cross chapter governor.

Radnir Tamayo Arandia, officer in charge of the national Red Cross volunteer service office, said the national headquarters was targeting sending around 6,000 bags that each contained five kilos of rice, four cans of sardines and three packs of noodles to the devastated areas.

He said they were looking at putting together 3,000 bags at the Mandaluyong site, which would hopefully be sent to Leyte within the day.

“Last night, we also sent three assessment teams to Leyte, Samar and Capiz,” he said, adding that these were composed of emergency response personnel equipped with ambulances and trucks.

Individuals from all walks of life trooped to the office on Edsa Monday morning, providing the local Red Cross much-needed manpower.

Aquivido was accompanied by 35-year-old Joy Quilag, her former coworker.

“I sympathize with them, that’s why I’m here,” Quilag said, saying she felt pity for the victims when she watched news reports on television the day before.

Since she was jobless at the moment and could not give any monetary donation, she decided to volunteer her time.

“It’s always fulfilling to help someone in need. We’re all Filipinos,” she said.

Even foreigners could be seen pitching in at the repacking center. Amin Mahmoudzadeh, an Iranian, said he decided to forego his trip to Boracay after he was moved by news about the victims’ plight.

“Those people need hope that will serve as their strength to build their lives again,” he told the Inquirer.

The former Iranian Army member said that what was important at this point was for everyone to do their part to help those in need.

“Because when you see everyone helping, that to me is really beautiful. That’s humanity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the San Juan, Makati and Muntinlupa local governments have joined in the relief efforts for Yolanda victims.

Grace Pardines, San Juan public information officer, said that Mayor Guia Gomez has encouraged city employees to give donations.

This was after her son, Senator JV Ejercito, announced on his Twitter account that anyone who wanted to give relief goods could drop them off at the Fil-Oil Flying V Arena near city hall.

The Makati City government, on the other hand, has promised to send a rescue team and other forms of help, including a P10-million donation, to typhoon-hit areas in the Visayas.

“On behalf of the city government and the people of Makati, I am extending our deepest sympathy to typhoon victims in the Visayas who have lost their loved ones, their homes and livelihood. We are convening the city council for an emergency session to approve our P10-million allocation for relief assistance to devastated areas,” Mayor Jun Binay said in a statement.

For his part, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi told the Inquirer the city government would allocate a portion of the city’s calamity funds for the victims.

“During the earthquake in Bohol, we were able to donate P1 million. This time we are targeting around P2 or P3 million,” Fresnedi said.—With Jaymee T. Gamil