Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito "Jonkie" Ouano has issued an urgent appeal for additional volunteers from private sectors and hospitals as the city intensifies its disaster relief operations for residents affected by recent calamities.
Critical Shortage of Volunteers
During an update on November 10, 2025, Mayor Ouano revealed that the current volunteer force is severely inadequate to meet the growing needs of affected communities. Only 17 volunteers are currently serving across the entire city's relief operations, creating significant challenges in delivering essential services to thousands of impacted residents.
The mayor provided specific details about the volunteer distribution, noting that just three volunteers are stationed at the City Health Office, while nine others are deployed in the field. This limited manpower struggles to address the extensive requirements of the disaster-affected population.
Urgent Need for Medical Professionals
Mayor Ouano emphasized a particular need for licensed medical professionals who can issue prescriptions. "We also need volunteer doctors who can prescribe medications," he stated, highlighting a critical bottleneck in the distribution of available medicines.
The city has medical supplies ready for distribution, but proper prescriptions are required before these medications can be released to those in need. This regulatory requirement has created an additional challenge in the relief efforts that only qualified medical volunteers can resolve.
Call to Private Hospitals and Sectors
In his appeal, Mayor Ouano specifically requested private hospitals in Mandaue City to contribute manpower to the relief operations. "So we are asking our private sectors and private hospitals here in Mandaue City if they can allocate at least two volunteers from each hospital to help," he proposed.
The mayor's call to action targets both medical institutions and broader private sector organizations, recognizing that a collaborative effort is essential to address the scale of the disaster's impact on local communities.
As relief operations continue, the shortage of volunteers remains the most pressing challenge facing Mandaue City's disaster response team, with thousands of residents awaiting assistance in the aftermath of recent calamities.
