The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is turning to volunteers to help replenish its supply of family food packs following the distribution of millions of relief packs to disaster-affected communities in recent weeks.

Volunteers are being welcomed at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu, where repacking operations are conducted from Monday to Saturday.

DSWD National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) officer-in-charge Director Jun Eso said the production hubs are open to volunteers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

DSWD has been replenishing its family food pack inventory after millions of packs were distributed to families affected by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng.

Before the habagat-enhanced rains, the department had reached its five-million family food packs prepositioning target, with the packs distributed among about 1,000 warehouses nationwide.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier directed the NRLMB to accelerate production and replenish stocks to the five-million target as part of efforts to ensure that relief supplies are readily available when disasters strike.

“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 (Before tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng, we reached five million family food packs, and it was a milestone for the DSWD to have these strategically prepositioned across the country. In case of any disaster, we could easily transport these family food packs to affected communities),” Eso said.

Eso said volunteers can help the department meet its daily repacking targets as it works to restore its inventory.

Interested individuals and groups are advised to coordinate with the NRLMB before visiting the facilities.

Walk-ins are allowed, but the DSWD is encouraging volunteers to register in advance to help organize shifts.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, while those below 18 must be accompanied by a guardian because heavy-duty machinery is used inside the warehouses.

They are also advised to wear appropriate clothing, particularly closed shoes, for safety.

“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 (We would conduct a brief orientation on what volunteers will do inside, and volunteers may render at least four hours so we can maximize their time there because we also have a daily quota to meet),” Eso said.