“We do not repack, much more relabel, the individually packed international donations that are sent to us.”
This is the statement made by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman after reports circulated in social media that staff of the DSWD Satellite Repacking Center at the Mactan Airbase in Cebu repackage the already pre-packed food relief donated by Indonesia and place them in bags bearing the Department’s name.
“We just had to take out the bottled condiments in the packs as they will make the goods more difficult to transport and handle. This will also prevent contamination of other items in the bags in case they get broken,” she explained.
The bottled items and other breakables were then put together in a separate container and labeled ‘fragile.’
Sec. Soliman further expounded that it is the responsibility of the DSWD to check the relief goods sent to the agency.
“We have to ensure that all relief goods particularly food items are fit for human consumption and still in good condition. That is why we inspect the contents of the bags, especially their expiration dates,” she said.
She made clear that the only donations they unpack are those sent in bulk. These are segregated and then separately bagged for easier distribution.
The non-food donations like clothes are likewise checked if they are still usable.
On the issue that there were volunteers that were turned away at the repacking centers, Sec. Soliman maintained that DSWD “welcomes everyone who wants to help.”
She however clarified that not everybody can be taken in at the relief centers all at the same time so a shifting schedule is implemented “to ensure efficiency and productivity in the repacking lines.”
There are also instances that the centers have to wait for supplies to arrive or be unloaded because of the sheer number of items that are needed for all the food packs, so volunteers are asked to stand by.
Sec. Soliman thanked the volunteers for continuing to help out and for being “patient in this whole process.”# # #
