Helping out at Villamor, DSWD Pasay
I wasn't even thinking about writing about our experiences helping out in Villamor, for the following reasons: 1) I only stayed very short periods compared to a looottt of other people, and 2) I wasn't really following protocols correctly, I think! Plus, a lot of people have written about the roles, instructions, directions that make helping out a lot less intimidating. But in case you're reading this before heading out to any of the sites, here are some of my notes:
DWSD - Pasay (for repacking of relief goods)
This place was easier to find than I thought! It's very near where Nayong Filipino used to be, simple as that. Since I went there the 2nd day that they asked civilians to volunteer, it was very easy for us to park (almost right in front of the gate!)
I don't know if protocol has changed since then, but when we signed up, we had orientation immediately. After that we proceeded straight to the gym, and were assigned to different tables. It was pretty much free for all which table you wanted to go to.
Each table was assigned to pack some items (we were asked to pack noodles and rice into a plastic bag filled with sardine cans, coffee, etc.
There were several bottlenecks in the process (noodles ran out, and packed rice), and we were often asked to stop for a bit. After lunch though, we waited for the truck of rice to arrive, and needed to repack them. Several of us sat on mountains of rice, scooping them into 3 Kilo packages each. At the end of the day, the group packed 1,6++ relief good bags.
After a few days DSWD announced that they were fully booked until November 18 for volunteers even on graveyard shifts, eventually though they opened this up again as their new goal was to pack 150,000 bags per day! (I'm assume this is because more donations came in and everyone had more items to pack already!)
Some notes:
1. Come in your comfiest shorts and shirt. This is a sweaty, heavy activity. Boys may be asked to carry sacks, and girls may sit on piles of rice to pack them. Expect to get very dirty!
2. Bring water. Though there is a small store when you turn left upon getting out of the gate, it would be easier to just have water with you at all times.
3. Belt bag your stuff if you can. Hard to keep track of bags, it could possibly be buried under a huge pile of plastic bags!
4. I know this sounds weird, but... stretch. Warm-up? A lot. Especially if you're like me, who has zero exercise. I am a HUGE wuss. I got overexcited with the rice scooping, and was scooping left and right, with 2 people in front of me always opening a plastic bag so it would be super fast. I didn't feel any pain while doing it, but let me tell you, I hurt like a )*$#)(_ the next day. And the day after. I am a LOLA. So if you're no athlete, go at a steady pace. Or stretch those darn muscles.
Things I learned that day:
1. There is hope in the youth. Most of the volunteers were high school, college kids. And old people helping out by flattening the boxes, putting cans on the tables. (So I guess there is hope in the oldies too, hehehe.)
2. Foreigners are awesome. There were so many of them there. Tourists, temporary residents.. in groups and alone. Packing. That's awesome. I saw tourists in Coron helping out too, in the news. They didn't have too. But they were there.
3. People can be so awesome. The girls in our table were trying to convince 2 young boys in our table to carry sacks of rice, and they apologetically explained that they had just come from night shift and it's not a good idea for them to lift heavy objects. (That's true, I know that for a fact that can even cause a stroke.) Imagine coming from night shift, and going straight to a repacking operation in this blistering heat?
An hour later, guess who were lifting the heavy sacks of rice? Those two boys.
In addition to that, there were little children picking up trash around the gym. (Oh man, there was a LOT of trash!)
Salud boys, and little kids. You are all awesome.
PS - We packed everything into DSWD bags and were asked to write inspirational messages in the back with pentelpen. No, there were no signs of anything being repacked into something else. If they would do that, they would need another 1000+ volunteers, so I really doubt they would go through that effort.
Villamor, Operation Hatid, had more awesome people. Separate entry on that though!
DWSD - Pasay (for repacking of relief goods)
This place was easier to find than I thought! It's very near where Nayong Filipino used to be, simple as that. Since I went there the 2nd day that they asked civilians to volunteer, it was very easy for us to park (almost right in front of the gate!)
I don't know if protocol has changed since then, but when we signed up, we had orientation immediately. After that we proceeded straight to the gym, and were assigned to different tables. It was pretty much free for all which table you wanted to go to.
Each table was assigned to pack some items (we were asked to pack noodles and rice into a plastic bag filled with sardine cans, coffee, etc.
There were several bottlenecks in the process (noodles ran out, and packed rice), and we were often asked to stop for a bit. After lunch though, we waited for the truck of rice to arrive, and needed to repack them. Several of us sat on mountains of rice, scooping them into 3 Kilo packages each. At the end of the day, the group packed 1,6++ relief good bags.
After a few days DSWD announced that they were fully booked until November 18 for volunteers even on graveyard shifts, eventually though they opened this up again as their new goal was to pack 150,000 bags per day! (I'm assume this is because more donations came in and everyone had more items to pack already!)
Some notes:
1. Come in your comfiest shorts and shirt. This is a sweaty, heavy activity. Boys may be asked to carry sacks, and girls may sit on piles of rice to pack them. Expect to get very dirty!
2. Bring water. Though there is a small store when you turn left upon getting out of the gate, it would be easier to just have water with you at all times.
3. Belt bag your stuff if you can. Hard to keep track of bags, it could possibly be buried under a huge pile of plastic bags!
4. I know this sounds weird, but... stretch. Warm-up? A lot. Especially if you're like me, who has zero exercise. I am a HUGE wuss. I got overexcited with the rice scooping, and was scooping left and right, with 2 people in front of me always opening a plastic bag so it would be super fast. I didn't feel any pain while doing it, but let me tell you, I hurt like a )*$#)(_ the next day. And the day after. I am a LOLA. So if you're no athlete, go at a steady pace. Or stretch those darn muscles.
Things I learned that day:
1. There is hope in the youth. Most of the volunteers were high school, college kids. And old people helping out by flattening the boxes, putting cans on the tables. (So I guess there is hope in the oldies too, hehehe.)
2. Foreigners are awesome. There were so many of them there. Tourists, temporary residents.. in groups and alone. Packing. That's awesome. I saw tourists in Coron helping out too, in the news. They didn't have too. But they were there.
3. People can be so awesome. The girls in our table were trying to convince 2 young boys in our table to carry sacks of rice, and they apologetically explained that they had just come from night shift and it's not a good idea for them to lift heavy objects. (That's true, I know that for a fact that can even cause a stroke.) Imagine coming from night shift, and going straight to a repacking operation in this blistering heat?
An hour later, guess who were lifting the heavy sacks of rice? Those two boys.
In addition to that, there were little children picking up trash around the gym. (Oh man, there was a LOT of trash!)
Salud boys, and little kids. You are all awesome.
PS - We packed everything into DSWD bags and were asked to write inspirational messages in the back with pentelpen. No, there were no signs of anything being repacked into something else. If they would do that, they would need another 1000+ volunteers, so I really doubt they would go through that effort.
Villamor, Operation Hatid, had more awesome people. Separate entry on that though!
God bless you, Justin, and your children more. You have a good heart Mel. I have Ken B. to thank coz it was because of him that I got to know you. Let's have our wine night soon.
ReplyDeleteOh, no Russ! I mean, everyone was pretty much doing it, haha! (Even more than us!) Even without Ken, I'm sure our paths would have crossed and we would have become friends. Wine night soon, definitely!! (Give me on tips to be sexayyy)
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