I Re-posted this very interesting Article wrote by Ellaganda on her blog titled from famous Filipino proverb: "Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang Kabayo?" (What good is the grass if the horse is already dead?). I find it very interesting and wanted to share to my fellow filipino especially those who are in overseas who also made a little or big contributions/donations.
Thus included some comments on her blog.
Dear friends,
I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.
Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.
For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.
Please read on and good luck to us.
Ella
(This post was last edited Oct 22, 12:30 pm)
Kahapon, tinanong ng Philippine News si DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral:
Editor of Philippine News: Why are the relief goods in DSWD warehouses not moving?
DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral: Wala kasing volunteers.
This short interview was done over the phone. Philippine News wanted to hear her side pero ayaw niyang makipag-usap sa press. After four tries, pinasabi na lang niya ang maikling sagot na ito sa secretary niya - “Walang volunteers”.
I don’t want to accuse her of corruption but at the very least she is showing signs of being totally incompetent. We are in a state of calamity where every second counts. May namamatay araw-araw dahil sa sakit.
In my opinion, these deaths could have been prevented if Secretary Cabral had tried a little harder to do her job.
Deaths from Philippine storms nears 1,000
“Tropical Storm Ketsana left 420 dead and 37 missing when it flooded 80 percent of Manila on September 26, a disaster the government said affected 4.35 million people.
Some areas are still flooded three weeks later and 189,000 people remain in evacuation centres,
Typhoon Parma hit the northern Philippines on October 3 and lingered as a tropical storm for a week, triggering landslides that killed 438 people and leaving 51 missing mostly in mountain communities.
The government agency said Parma affected 4.16 million people, including more than 32,000 who remain at evacuation centres.”
During the first week after the storm, lumabas ang “bayanihan spirit” ng mga Pinoy. “Makatulong lang kahi’t konti,” katwiran nila.
kung walang volunteers, ano ‘to, komiks?
From Stella Arnaldo’s blog:
- “At the offices of many civic groups and private organizations, hundreds of people showed up to volunteer in packing relief goods.
At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Centro in Cubao, Most of the volunteers were adolescents as young as 10 years old, along with their kuya or ate in high school and college.
They came in huge numbers, many of them barkadas, classmates or siblings, dressed just in their tees and shorts, wearing their Havaianas. All were just enthusiastic to do their share!
Photos by Leah Navarro
Even grade school kids pitched in to help!
Youth volunteers repack detergents for distribution
Making beds from carton boxes
GMA asked world for donations
Our government begged the world for more donations. Sumagot ang buong mundo sa ating panawagan. In less than three weeks, dumaong ang mga barko, ibinaba mula sa mga cargo planes, i-diniliver ng mga trak at container vans ang sandamakmak na relief goods. Cash donations were in the millions of dollars.
But these donations must be coursed through DSWD
Nagpalabas ng directive ang pangulo. Individuals, private companies and other nations were ENCOURAGED to send their donations to DSWD. I blogged about it here and the video of her announcement here.
This PGMA directive sounded suspicious to me then. Now I know why. Here’s the story.
A group of eight people, your ate Ella included, went to one of DSWD warehouses to help in repacking relief goods. We know they need volunteers pero hindi namin akalaing WALANG TAO TALAGA SA LOOB NG WAREHOUSE!
As in sa isang humongous warehouse (1000++ sq.m) NA PUNONG-PUNO NG RELIEF GOODS HANGGANG BUBONG, ISANG DSWD employee lang at ISANG SECURITY GUARD ang tao!!
Kailangang magpa-register at i-schedule ang volunteering
- 1) UNICEF Registration (as a volunteer)
The warehouse can only take as much as 50 volunteers at a time or per shift. Here you will find that there is a 4-hour shift, and an option for a 6-hour shift for the volunteers to indicate their availability.
What “volunteers”? Nasaan?
Aside from the 8 of us? Nope, there was nobody there. Bakit kailangan ang scheduling? Feeling hindi ba magkamayaw at nagu-unahan ang mga volunteers?
I know somebody who wanted to volunteer many times. She was always bumped off, laging nirere-schedule kasi “there were too many volunteers” daw. At tuwing Sunday lang daw puwede. What the hell is going on here?
Nakatambak ang donations ng UNICEF sa warehouse, local and international
Mga banig na dapat ay nahihigaan ng mga nasalanta. Mga imported camp beds na hindi na yata masisilayan ng mga biktima. Mga kumot na hindi naman nakabalot sa katawan nila. At mga pagkaing hindi sumasayad sa sikmura nila.
The relief goods are not going anywhere
We arrived at about 8 am and left by midafternoon and yes, you guessed it right. Kami pa rin ang tao bukod sa isang DSWD employee sa loob ng warehouse maghapon. Walang ibang dumating.
The relief goods are not moving. By the way things look, they are not going anywhere. Hindi maglalakad mag-isa ang mga donations na ito papunta sa mga evacuation centers.
LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKING
Note: Pinagbawalan kaming kumuha ng pictures sa loob ng warehouse. I wonder why.
“Not a creature was moving, not even a mouse.”
Parang haunted warehouse ang dating. May multo na yata.
Kahit na daig pa ang tindahan sa Divisoria sa dami ng naka-stack na kaldero
At walang katapusang kaldero pa ulit
Kahit halos natakpan na ang mga bintana sa dami ng mga kahon
Kahit umabot na hanggang kisame ang stack ng mga kahon
(Close up ng Coleman camp beds sa previous photo) Hindi ito kasama sa ni-repack naming goods. Para sa mga “special victims” kaya ito? Ire-repack kaya ang mga “imported” camp pads na ito ever?
Sabagay, may BANIG naman para sa “ordinary victims”. Ito ang kasama sa inimpake namin. Sayang ‘yung imported.
Ano kaya ang laman nito? Hindi rin pinabuksan. Pang-special victim din kaya ito? (teka, dito nga pala galing ‘yung mga kumot)
Mahiwagang mga kahon from Japan Aid.
(close up ng mahiwagang kahon) Hindi rin ito kasali, of course. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang laman nito. “Imported” are not included, we have concluded.
Marami ito, mga laruang kasinlaki ng tao. Hindi nakunan ng pic kasi nasa tabi ng sikyo.
PORK AND BEANS? Yup, you’d think kasama ito sa relief bag. Pork and beans lang ‘to, puwede na sigurong ipamigay,
Naaah! “Imported” pork and beans from Spain po ito. Sorry, hindi pa rin included
Now let’s take a look at what a victim will get from DSWD
Look Ma, sampung lata ng sardinas! How generous! Kaldero ang unang ilalagay sa sako. Sabong panglaba (bar soap) at sampung sardinas sa ilalim. Siyam na sabon sa gilid ng kaldero. Local goods lahat syempre.
Tapos papatungan ng isang tuwalya at isang pack ng sanitary napkin.
Sisiksikan ng tatlong rolyo ng kumot(?) ang blue water jug tapos ipapatong sa kaldero sa loob ng sako.
Last but not the least, lalagyan ng dalawang banig.
Sabay tatahiin na ang sako. O di ba, parang asong tinapunan ng buto ang mga nasalanta? Eniwey, busog naman sila sa SAMPUNG lata ng Mega sardinas
Do not delay
YOU THINK?? WTF is the matter with these people? Mag-iisang buwan na mula nang masalanta ang mga kababayan natin. ISANG BUWAN!! Do you mean “do not delay ang dati nang delayed”?? Shet.
Anong ginagawa ng mga donations na ito sa warehouse?? APAT na warehouse ang nasa loob ng compound na ‘yon! APAT na warehouse na punong-puno ng inaalikabok na relief goods! Relief goods na ayaw yata ibigay sa mga nasalanta. Halatang-halata.
Marami pang pabubulukin
Wow! May bagong shipment na naman! At the rate DSWD is moving, next year na madi-discover kung ano ang laman ng mga kahong ito.
- “The first of two of the largest high-energy food shipments from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) arrived in the country two days ago for victims of storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”
The biscuits were fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for supplementary feeding to children, pregnant women and the elderly in evacuation camps. Another 100 tons of biscuits will arrive on Oct. 24, in a continuing effort to provide food assistance to flood victims.
Sige, ideretso ‘nyo ulit ‘yan sa DSWD warehouse. Para AMAG naman ang abutin ng biskwit… at sapot ng gagamba.
Conclusion
Sa maghapon namin sa warehouse,nakagawa kami ng 150 sacks of relief goods. 150 bags of relief goods lang ang lumabas sa warehouse na ‘yon that day. At nandoon pa rin sa loob ang mga imported relief goods, safe, sound and packed as the day they arrived.
Nakisakay kami palabas sa isang DSWD delivery van. Gusto sana kaming ihatid ng driver hanggang Makati pero wala raw siyang sobrang gasolina. Ibinaba na lang niya kami sa gitna ng EDSA. Millions of dollars in donations, walang extrang pang-gasolina.
Susulpot din siguro ang laman ng mga mahiwagang kahon at mapapasakamay din ng mga tao…sa ARAW NG ELEKSYON. O mabibili na nila ang mga imported goods na ‘yon sa mga puwesto sa Quiapo at Divisoria.
Suggestions lang po sa DSWD:
Kung talagang gugustuhin ninyong makarating agad sa mga kawawang biktima ang mga donasyong ‘yon, nagawa ‘nyo na ‘yan. Maraming paraan…kung talagang gusto ‘nyo lang.
You are the government. You have the power, the resources and the money. You just have to really care.
Matagal na ang ganitong raket na ginagawa nila. Ang alam ko nga yung mga tinitinda sa ukay-ukay ay mga relief goods din na hindi rin pinarating sa mga mas nangangailangan bagkus ay ibinenta nila sa mga tindahan ng mga second hand na mga damit. Pinagkaperahan nila ang mga relief goods na para sa mga nasasalanta ng kalamidad. Di bale, ika nga mabilis ang karma, ewan lang kung may takot pa silang nararamdaman.
I reposted your entry on my blog. Grabe na talaga ang mga pangyayari… nakakainis… Anyway, I am encouraging all my friends to repost this entry too…
Good job!
ariel,
now ko lang na-getz yung joke sa ellen tordesillas na bantayan ang mga ukay ukay because that’s where i first read it and at that time, lito ako kung ano ang koneksyon.
grabe na talaga to!
finorward ko yung blog mo sa pinsan ko nagcampaign kay Obama sa Cali.. sana ma-iforward nya sa nararapat
dapat talaga dyan kay pandak mapatalsik! nang makasuhan na agad sa lahat ng pinaggagawa ng pamilya nya
Goodness! What are they doing?! Ano balak nila? Hayaang makalimutan ng mga tao ang mga naibigay na perang dnasyon at mga goods. Para pag nakalimutan eh maiihahakot na nila sa kani-kanilang mga bahay?! Mahiya nmn sana sila! Ibinigay yan ng mga may kaya para maipamahagi sa mga nasalanta hndi sa mga taong nananamantala..Grabe nmn ang DSWD. Wala bang voluteers? How come na sa mga tv stations eh maraming nagvovolunteer. Then sa inyo wala?! Hndi kapani-paniwala!
Solo
hi.. pwede mo kaya i-report ang mga to sa media or something? i think effective syang pang-spread ng news as bad as this. and dahil nasa kalagitnaan tayo ng calamity, this will easily get the attention of the media..
maybe you should change your sidebar blog to something that will highlight your main blog? i hope this really goes around.
This shouldn’t surprise me… pero sobra na talaga to!! Thanks Ms. Ella for doing this.. this should be known by many~
Pati ba naman relief goods may RED TAPE pa?
Scheduling?? WTF!?
KELAN IPAPADALA ‘TO NG GOBYERNO????
talamak na korupsyon! mas mabuti pa yung relief operation ng 2 TV networks natin , ang GMA at ABS-CBN, diretso tlga ang relief goods sa mga tao. siguro mas marami pang nagvolunteer dun. nkakalungkot at nakakainis ang ganitong mga pangyayari.
in fairness naman sa isang social welfare deptment ng isang city na alam ko, truck truck ng relief goods ang pumupunta sa mga affected areas. they utilized their own staff saka marami din ng-volunteer.
Please report this to Imbestigador:
http://www.imbestigador.tv/
hi ella,
got this link from a friend’s facebook page. instead of blogging about this, i’ll post this na lang sa facebook page ko…
this is a wake up call to DWSD. thanks for sharing this.
I was tempted to repost this in facebook dahil umitin din ang ulo ko, but realized I’d be spreading reports that could inflame hate from a source that is not really reputable (pardon, I am just being careful with this post-modern journalism). My suggestion is if we do have a case, we report this to UNICEF.
anong dapat gawin sa mga donors para sigurado pupunta sa mga biktima ang padala. sino ba ang pwedeng puntahan? may iba pa bang paraan makatulong mismo sa mga nandoon sa evacuation centers?
Baka naghihintay ng panibagong bagyo (HUWAG NAMAN SANA) at doon ipamumodmod ang mga nabulok na relief goods dahil sa sobrang pag i stock…
mas maige pa nga yong mga private sectors mas mabilis ang action, mas maigi pa nga yong mga kaibigan ng mga nasalanta ng bagyo kahit papaano naghahanap ng paraan kung papaano makakarating ang tulong nila sa lalong madaling panahon…
sabagay tama nga naman ang dahilan…”WALANG VOLUNTEERS” at dahil din hindi kayang magpasweldo ng mga tao dahil “WALANG PERA”….walang donasyong pera….
MARAMING SALAMAT TALAGA SA BLOG NA TO….