From a can of sardines to the last can of corn beef, all of the relief goods received by the government from donors are well accounted for and reaches its appropriate beneficiaries, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral Saturday.

In a press conference held in a restaurant at the Quezon Memorial Circle Park in Quezon City, Cabral made the reaction following an Internet article by Philippine News which alleged the DSWD of negligence in the distribution of the relief goods due to lack of volunteers.

Cabral also denied that the news website interviewed her for the article.

“I do not recall having talked to an Editor of the Philippine News. I do remember my secretary telling me that someone was on the phone asking why there were no volunteers working in the warehouse,” she said.

Cabral said that the DSWD has no problem obtaining the necessary manpower repacking relief goods since it receives a regular number of volunteers. But in instances, when no volunteers show up, DSWD employees do the repacking themselves, she added.

The DSWD Secretary also criticized speculations that it is switching foreign aid with local goods and hoarding donations.

She clarified that some countries and organizations from the international community are giving their donations in-kind by buying it locally to help the country’s economy at the same time instead of sending foreign products.

Cabral also explained that while the DSWD is doing its job in distributing relief goods to regional offices and evacuation centers, it does not get the same media mileage as the other private groups who are conducting their own relief operations giving the impression it is passing the responsibility of feeding evacuees from the two storms which recently devastated the country to the private sector.