MANILA, Philippines — As heavy rains and weather disturbances continue to test disaster-response systems across the country, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is calling on Filipinos to volunteer at its Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City and help prepare emergency food supplies for families who may be affected by calamities.
The volunteer drive, organized through the DSWD’s National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), runs from August 18 to 29, 2026, with volunteers helping prepare Family Food Packs (FFPs) at the DSWD National Resource Operations Center (NROC) warehouse.
The facility is located along Chapel Road, Barangay 195, Pasay City, behind the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines building and near NAIA Terminal 1 and the Airport Police station. Volunteers can participate in morning or afternoon shifts, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
Why the volunteer call matters now
The appeal comes as the Philippines continues to deal with the effects of the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat, and other weather disturbances.
The DSWD has already placed its disaster-response machinery on heightened alert. Earlier this month, the agency said its Disaster Response Command Center had been raised to Red Alert, requiring 24/7 monitoring and operations. Its field offices and Quick Response Teams were likewise placed on high alert.
The scale of the preparedness effort is significant. On August 11, the DSWD reported that nearly 5 million Family Food Packs were positioned across about 1,000 warehouses nationwide, alongside ₱1.61 billion in standby funds for emergency response. At that time, the agency said enhanced Habagat and other weather disturbances had affected about 384,527 families in 2,070 barangays nationwide.
The situation underscores why relief preparation often has to happen before a disaster strikes.
Volunteers become part of the response chain
The work at the LDRC may look simple—preparing and packing food—but it is an important part of the country’s disaster-response system.
Family Food Packs are intended to provide immediate food assistance to households affected by disasters, particularly when communities are displaced or normal access to food and basic necessities is disrupted.
The DSWD has repeatedly relied on volunteers to increase production capacity during periods of heightened disaster risk. In January 2026, for example, the agency appealed for volunteers at the same LDRC as it prepared additional food packs amid the heightened activity of Mayon Volcano.
The LDRC has also received support from government personnel and private organizations. In February, the National Development Company reported that its employees volunteered at the facility to help repack Family Food Packs, describing the effort as part of a broader bayanihan response to disasters.
DSWD: Every helping hand can make a difference
The agency has framed the latest volunteer campaign as more than a warehouse operation.
According to the DSWD announcement carried by PIA, the effort is intended to strengthen the country’s disaster preparedness by bringing community participation into the relief-supply process. The department described volunteering as an opportunity to demonstrate bayanihan, solidarity and compassion for families who may need assistance during emergencies.
The need for readiness is particularly relevant as authorities continue monitoring weather conditions.
On August 19, PIA reported that DSWD-Cordillera had prepared more than 66,000 Family Food Packs and other relief resources for possible augmentation to local government units amid continuing rains and heightened risks of flooding and landslides in parts of the region.
PAGASA has likewise warned that the enhanced Habagat and localized thunderstorms could continue to bring rain, particularly affecting areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides.
How Filipinos can help
Individuals interested in participating in the current volunteer drive may register through the DSWD’s volunteer process or coordinate with designated DSWD personnel for scheduling.
The current activity is scheduled for August 18–29, 2026, at the DSWD NROC warehouse in Pasay City, with morning and afternoon volunteer shifts available.
The broader message is straightforward: disaster response does not begin when floodwaters rise or an evacuation order is issued. It begins much earlier—with supplies prepared, logistics organized and people ready to respond.
And as the Philippines faces another period of persistent rains, the hands packing today’s relief boxes could become part of tomorrow’s lifeline for a family caught in disaster.
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