‘Landslide victims still need help; volunteers fewer’

Around 1,696 families from five barangays are still staying in 11 evacuation centers in the City of Naga following the landslide in Sitios Tagaytay and Sindulan two weeks ago.

They continue to need everyday items like shampoo, soap, toiletries and water. They also need towels, blankets and kitchen utensils, officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said yesterday.

On the other hand, the City Government needs more volunteers as some perishable items need to be repacked for distribution.

City of Naga Administrator Arthur Villamor admitted to SunStar Cebu yesterday that the number of volunteers coming to City Hall to assist in the repacking dwindled in the past two weeks.

On Sept. 23, or the third day after the landslide, 679 individuals went to the City Hall to volunteer in the repacking efforts.

But the number of volunteers slowly dwindled starting on the sixth day of the landslide response or on Sept. 25.

On that day, 483 volunteers went to City Hall to help in the repacking.

On Day 7 or Sept. 26, the number of volunteers grew to 486.

While on Days 8 and 9, more than 500 volunteers assisted the City in its repacking efforts.

On the 12th day of the response or on Oct. 1, only 220 volunteers helped, while on the next day, only 170 volunteers worked on the repacking.

Villamor said he understands that less volunteers would come to help due to work and school schedules.

“Mas daghan gyud tong volunteers sa pinaka-unang adlaw sa atong relief operations kay naa may mga estudyante nga gikan sa mga public schools sa Naga nga nasuspended ilang klase (There were more volunteers during the early days since there were students from public schools who came since their classes were suspended),” Villamor said.

But even with fewer volunteers, Villamor said they still have job order workers helping them out with the repacking efforts.

He is also awaiting the implementation of the Emergency Employment program of the Department of Labor and Employment, which will facilitate the hiring of evacuees to help in the relief efforts.