via GRAPHIC PLUS — During disasters, relief goods are often the first thing people think communities need. But inside evacuation centers, where families try to adjust to unfamiliar spaces and uncertain days, something as simple as a conversation, a smile, or the presence of someone willing to listen can also make people feel a little more normal again.
For someone called “Earth”, it seems almost destined that Elmundo Olazo, SM City Calamba Assistant Mall Manager, would grow up deeply rooted in service, community, and the environment.
Long before he became a volunteer for SM Foundation’s Operation Tulong Express (OPTE), Olazo already found peace in helping communities cultivate life from the ground up. He is now over 15 years into volunteer work, and that same instinct to nurture continues to guide him — this time through evacuation centers, flooded communities, and disaster-stricken areas across Laguna.
And in a province surrounded by waterways and vulnerable to flooding from Laguna Lake, those moments come often.
As one of the volunteer coordinators for OPTE operations in South Luzon, Olazo helps organize relief distribution efforts in coordination with LGUs and response agencies. But he says the work has never been about recognition. In fact, some of the moments that stayed with him most happened quietly, such as talking to evacuees inside crowded basketball courts, helping repair broken faucets in temporary shelters, or simply listening to people who needed someone to talk to.
During the Taal Volcano eruption, he remembers roads thick with ash. Volunteers pushed through unsafe conditions just to deliver relief goods.
“Nakakatuwa ‘yung genuine na smile ng tao kapag natutulungan mo siya,” he said. “nakakawala ng pagod.”
But Olazo is quick to point out that no volunteer ever does the work alone.
Behind every operation is a team of employees, partners, and volunteers choosing to show up genuinely, not because they have to, but because they want to help.
“Ramdam ng tao kung bukal sa loob mo ‘yung pagtulong,” he said. “Importante ‘yun.”
Hundreds of kilometers away in Sorsogon, SM City Sorsogon Public Relations Officer April Grace Opinio understands exactly what he means.
Despite being a mother of two, April Grace Opinio, SM City Sorsogon’s PR Officer, continues to volunteer in relief operations whenever communities need support. Her name may be tied to a single month, but service, for her, happens year-round.
Even while recovering from surgery in late 2024, she still joined OPTE efforts after Typhoon Kristine, coordinating with LGUs and community partners to ensure aid reached affected families.
“Showing up matters,” she shared. “Minsan hindi naman nasusukat ang service sa laki ng naitulong mo. Minsan, willingness mo lang tumulong, malaking bagay na.”
For April, disaster response means more than distributing food packs or bottled water. Communities also need reassurance — the feeling that someone remembers them, sees them, and cares enough to come.
Inside evacuation centers, she often sees exhausted mothers carrying children, senior citizens patiently lining up for assistance, and families trying to stay strong despite uncertainty.
“People need hope during disasters,” she said. “Kailangan nilang maramdaman na may darating na tulong.”
That is what OPTE continues to build in communities: not only relief, but trust.
A reminder that during disasters, there are people who are willing to stay, listen, and help rebuild.
For both volunteers, service is not about being heroic. It is about being present.
“Hindi naman mawawala agad ang sakit o hirap pagkatapos ng sakuna,” Olazo reflected. “Pero minsan, sapat na munang maramdaman ng tao na may kasama siya. Doon nagsisimula ang pagbangon.”
