Like a lot of the other residents in Barangay Sta. Barbara in Zamboanga City, Arnajer Sali, 28 years old, fled the village with his family when the armed conflict first broke in the city on September 9.
However, while his grandfather, his mother, and his aunt ran to the JFE Sports Complex, he found himself wandering in the docks, where he worked. It was there that he found several of the other pier workers, like himself, heading somewhere together. Curious, he asked them where they went, and they invited him to go with them. Without knowing why, he followed. He ended up at the DSWD relief operations center at the Department of Public Works and Highways where repacking of relief goods is being done.
Thirty-two days later, he is still part of the Cash-for-Work program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the repacking of goods to be distributed to the victims of the armed conflict and flooding in ZamboangaCity.
The Cash-for-Work program is one of the initiatives of the DSWD to provide a means of livelihood for volunteers while at the same time ensures the continuing repacking of goods for the conflict and flooding victims in ZamboangaCity. According to Honesto Abanto, the supply officer in charge of the stocks for the relief operations, repacking of goods ran 24/7 in the early days of the conflict. However, since there are enough stock pile of goods, repacking is now up until 6:00 p.m.
As of October 15, a total of PhP 151.771,516 million worth of relief assistance from the DSWD has been provided to the families affected by the armed conflict in Zamboanga City.
of the DSWD. His house was burned during the conflict.
Abanto said that the volunteers were a big help in the repacking of goods. Abanto added that the DSWD now has sufficient stock pile of goods because the volunteers were fast in repacking. The volunteers included students from the Western Mindanao State University
(WMSU), Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Parent Leaders, and evacuees like Arnajer.
For Amajer, joining the Cash-for-Work program not only made him productive, it also enabled him to help his family, as he is able to earn money through this. He said, “Nakatulong din ako sa nanay ko, auntie ko ”.
Arnajer is only one of the many evacuees who are now serving as volunteers to help in the relief operations for those who have been affected by the armed conflict and flooding in Zamboanga.
Aside from providing CFW to evacuees who help in repacking of goods, the DSWD also engaged 100 male evacuees to assist in the maintenance of sanitation and cleanliness of portalets and the surroundings of the JFE Sports Complex. The men are paid P150 per day. ###
