DSWD explains repacking protocols for Yolanda relief goods

Officials on Tuesday denied allegations made on social media that the government has been repacking relief goods from foreign donors for Yolanda victims, and passing them off as its own.

“We do not repack, much more relabel, the individually packed international donations that are sent to us," Social Welfare Sec. Dinky Soliman said in a statement released on Tuesday.

She issued the statement after social media posts alleged that staff of the DSWD Satellite Repacking Center in Cebu had repacked already pre-packed food relief donated by Indonesia, and placed them in bags bearing the department’s name.

Soliman said the only donations they unpack are those sent in bulk, which are segregated and separately bagged for easier distribution.

She likewise said that they have to inspect the goods, especially their expiration dates, to ensure that the food items are fit for human consumption and are still in good condition.

Non-food donations like clothes, on the other hand, are checked if they are still usable.

Soliman also explained that they do have to take out bottled goods and other breakables from packs, since they will make goods more difficult to handle and transport. She said these are put in another container and labeled fragile.

"This will also prevent contamination of other items in the bags in case they get broken,” she said.

Not a hit-and-miss operation

During a press conference on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr. also said relabeling was "far-fetched" because they cannot just "inject" foreign goods into relief packs.

"Iba po ang pag-handle at pag-trato doon sa mga voluntary donations. Kasi po they are sporadic and irregular in character. Hindi pwede ipasok doon sa regularity, predictability nung production line na isinasagawa po," he said.

"Kailangan po iyong precise parameters kung ano iyong isu-supply, anong quantity -- may time and motion pa po yan. Hindi pwede iyong hit and miss na magi-inject ng spontaneous elements," he added.

Coloma appealed to the public not to spread information online without verifying first.

"Sana iyong mga nagkakaroon ng ganyang obserbasyon, mag-pause po siguro ng ilang segundo o ilang minuto, dahil higit na madali iyong magblog ng mga ganun na baka naman po walang sapat na batayan iyong kanilang iniisip," he said.

"Hindi naman po ito pa-pogi game na lahat ia-appropriate para sa DSWD. Hindi naman po ganun," he added.

"Our Department of Social Welfare and Development is a professional organization. Sila po ay regular na nakikipag-ugnayan sa United Nations, sa mga international aid organizations, that have set very high parameters of excellence and efficiency," Coloma said.

"Makakaasa po tayo na sinusunod po nila kung anuman ang umiiral na batas, sinusunod po nila ang international protocols hinggil diyan at wala po silang pagnanais o pananadya na huwag pong gawin iyong tama," he added. — BM/YA, GMA News