Keep your cool (and other friendly reminders to those who volunteer in relief operations)

Calamities like typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng will always leave destruction in their wake but they will never destroy the resilience of Filipinos and their capacity to bring forth a solid disposition after the maelstrom. That the bayanihan system has been given a new face in the aftermath of these catastrophes is indeed underlining the obvious. The abled bodies — both rich and poor — rise to the occasion to help those who are affected by the deluge — both rich and poor, too.

In Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna, in the last two weeks, as I personally experience, relief operations are the order of each day. Volunteers get into the production line of repacking goods to be distributed to residents of affected areas. Good-hearted souls share their resources — big and small. But more than that, they give their time. Now, that’s big time.

They give their time by distributing the goods to the areas that still bear the brunt of Ondoy’s whip and whim. They travel far and wide, sometimes on an empty stomach, to bring a day of joy to those who need it — to those who badly need it. So they deliver the goods, rain or shine. They wade in floodwaters or take the banca, even makeshift rafts, to be of service to the people they do not know. After each operation, they head home happy but still on an empty stomach. Somehow they don’t feel hungry. The genuine joy of sharing seems to be more than enough food to fuel them to ready themselves for their next relief operation the following day.

Because relief operations entail fostering a relationship between the giver and the receiver at that particular time, it is best to remember some do’s and don’t’s of giving relief goods. Here are some.

Keep your cool all the time. In the line of duty, as every volunteer will attest, there are horror stories. Sometimes, the job of volunteers seems to be a thankless job as they get the blame from some recipients when the number of relief goods they distribute does not meet with the number of people who fall in line to receive them. It is just a wonder in many times that no matter how much good you bring, the supply just seems never to meet the demand.

Stretch your patience. Just remember that the people you are serving are hungry. Their houses are still submerged in floodwaters. Worse many of them lost their houses to the deluge. Worst they lost loved ones. Extreme experiences expel erratic behaviors from human beings. Disarm them with a smile. A sincere one. If still it doesn’t work, at least you try.

Never involve yourself in a heated argument with a recipient. One common complaint of many volunteers is that some recipients resort to cheating just to get more goods. Again, understand them. How do some cheat? If relief stubs are given to them, some reproduce their own stub several times to get goods several times, too. Distribute stubs that cannot be duplicated. Use colored cartolina to make stubs. Affix your signature in each if you must. This will somehow deter people from cheating. If you catch anybody falling in line for the second time to get a bag of relief goods, carefully call one’s attention. Observe maximum tolerance. In a low voice, you politely say: “Manong, nakakuha na ho kayo kanina. Pagbigyan naman po natin ang iba, please (Sir, you have already got your share. Please give it to the others who also need it.)”

Explain right away. If upon arrival you feel that the goods you brought to the community will not be enough for everyone, explain to the affected residents in line that what you have is not enough for all of them. A volunteer-friend of mine even apologizes before hand to the unruly mammoth crowd the minute she thinks that the ration will not be enough. Some will complain. But believe me, many will understand.

Don’t make empty promises. Don’t tell the residents you will come back to their place to do another relief operation when you don’t mean it.

Be environmentally conscious. As you hand the goods, remind the recipients to properly dispose of their waste once they have finished consuming what’s inside the relief bag.

Coordinate with officials from the community. It is best to have a contact person in the place of operation to easily facilitate distribution of goods. The barangay chairman and his council and brigade can help make the queue very organized. 

Look at the people in the eye when you give them goods. Notice that those you have eye-to-eye contact with are the ones who will say a resounding “Thank you po.”

Do not grandstand. For politicians and politicians-to-be who go to the affected areas to distribute rice and other canned goods, this is not the time to campaign so stop waving your hand at each and every prospective voter. Do not even have the temerity to whisper to each and every recipient not to forget you in June 2010. That is not only cheap. That’s totally inhuman.  

The dissatisfied recipients are just an exemption to the rule. Their momentary crankiness is not enough to cow a volunteer’s desire to continue to help. After all, still a great majority of recipients are grateful for what they receive. And their “Salamat po” is more than enough for a volunteer to further make a difference in one’s life even for just a day. At the end of the day, a volunteer remains thankful for an opportunity to help.

(Please post me a note for more suggestions. For your new beginnings, please e-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com or my.new.beginnings@gmail.com. Have a blessed Sunday.)