Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) Executive Director Donald James Gawe on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to encourage and promote volunteerism in the delivery of social protection programs and services to the people.

“We all know that the most precious commodity is time. I have always come to realize that people always find it easy to do social responsibility programs by donating, but when we ask them for time, that is something that they cannot give,” Gatchalian said during the ceremonial signing of the MOU at the DSWD Central Office in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

He emphasized the importance of time offered by organized citizens in mainstreaming volunteerism across the social welfare and development landscape.

“The Department is looking forward to this partnership because we know that not only we will be able to harness the most expensive commodity out there, which is time, but we will also be able to use them efficiently in the right direction,” Gatchalian said.

He thanked the PNVSCA for leading the promotion and coordination of volunteer programs and services on social protection delivery.

“And we know that there are so many good doers out there, it’s such that walang nagcha-channel nung energy nila (no one is channeling their energy) to the right direction,” Gatchalian said.

The MOU primarily aims to establish a mechanism where volunteer organizations and individuals can be involved in the implementation of social protection programs and services.

“Today is indeed a significant milestone in our effort to promote volunteerism as a tool for nation-building,” Gawe said.

The DSWD is among the first government agencies that adopted the PNVSCA’s Bayanihan Bayan Program, the government’s volunteer program that encourages volunteerism among Filipinos and enjoins government employees to volunteer service in social, economic, and humanitarian development undertakings in the community.

“It is timely that the DSWD has renewed and revised this initiative given our whole-of-society approach to addressing socio-economic concerns,” Gawe said.

The Department is working with volunteer groups and individuals during disaster response, particularly in repacking food packs and in loading and unloading of relief goods, among others. (PNA)