Philippines Aid Scandal: Food Flown In From Britain Ends Up In Shops Hundreds Of Miles From Typhoon

[Steve & Myrlita]

Didn't 1 American General who arrived give outright orders that the local officials were to have absolutely NO ACCESS?

Edited December 9, 2013 by Steve & Myrlita

[SubicSteve]

Edited December 8, 2013 by SubicSteve

[JJReyes]

If you two want to blend in with the local officials be sure you have your photos on the seed packets and the words "Provided by" or "brought to you by". People need to know who it all comes from of course!   Seriously, I'm sure you guys are going to be careful about all this. There have been lots of horror stories of what happens to people when they bypass the local so called authorities. Would hate to read about Bruce ending up in a ditch somewhere.

 

Ours will be low profile and the seed value won't be sufficient to attract attention. It would be different if I were handing out cash. The Filipino side in me says it's okay to stamp the seed packets with, "A Gift from Mayor........." provided the farmers get the seeds. In my case, locals will be with me in a rented jeep or van. They will sense if there is any danger. 

[robert k]

I don't think policos would be worried about seed donation as it would just fatten up the flock for an even better shearing next year. :no:

[Markham]

Did 1 American General who arrived give outright orders that the local officials were to have absolutely NO ACCESS?

 

Yes and whilst the US military was involved in aid distribution, aid was distributed to those who needed it. Unfortunately American forces didn't stay too long - their "in charges" wanted them to be home for Thanksgiving so they all left well before hand. There are still some British military (with HMS Illustrious) who are working in the smaller islands and around Coron. But in both American and British cases, much of the aid the military distributed, they brought with them having loaded it in Hong Kong (George Washington) and Singapore (HMS Illustrious).

 

The problems concerning aid supplies not getting through at all seem to be those that were shipped by air to Manila or Cebu. I think it's unlikely that aid shipped to Cebu has ended up in Manila shops but certainly not all the aid that was shipped to Cebu has been delivered. Such as these Shelter Boxes, a thousand or so were dispatched by the Cornish Charity within a day or two of the Typhoon strike and arrived in Cebu onboard a RAF C-17. The Charity believes some of its (expensive) boxes did make it to Bantayan Island but that can not be verified independently. Since the boxes contain very sturdy, custom-made 5 man tents, solid fuel cooking stove, pots, pans etc., maybe they're being sold to campers and backpackers.

 

That C-17 also delivered 3 JCB rough terrain "bucket loaders":

 

but they appear to be stuck in Customs possibly together with up to 8 Land Rover "Defender" 4x4s which arrived during the second and third weeks of November:

 

ALL imported vehicles - included those donated - are levied duty and taxes of up to 150% of their value adjudged by Customs. The "book price" for a basic (no air-con) Defender is just under £25k (Php 1.75 million) and given its engine size (2.2 litre), that's about how much duty and tax is due on each one.

 

So where are they?

 

Where is the transparency that President Aquino promised?

 

As an aside - but to prove a point - there's a marine training and consultancy company operating in Subic Freeport that were given a number of large (30-50 person) inflatable life rafts by Hapag-Lloyd a few years ago; there are all date-expired. These were offered to a medical team going to eastern Samar as storage and temporary accommodation and they were gratefully received. But they never left the Freeport and are still sitting in the donor company's storage unit. Why? Because Customs won't allow them to be imported to the Philippines proper until duty and tax has been paid.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Markham

[Jack Peterson]

Customs won't allow them to be imported to the Philippines proper until duty and tax has been paid.

 

 

:unsure:  There was me thinking, that Charitable donations were tax free, This equipment and goods are not for resale, they are Gifts/ Donations from various Charities and Governments.

 

Time IMHO, the rest of the World started to look very Hard, at what is happening here. Instead of Donating, Sanctions would  be a better way forward

 

 

:tiphat:  

[Jack Peterson]

:mocking:  If these goods are not Wanted here now, Then in the immortal Words of the Late great, Elvis. " RETURN TO SENDER"

 

There are many more deserving Countries, that will welcome and make immediate use of them

 

 

:tiphat:

Edited December 9, 2013 by Jack Peterson

[Jack Peterson]

:Mad:123  :23_11_59[1]:  that Both the US and the UK,  Governments, sent for the Philippine Ambassadors of the respective countries to attend and explain this totally unacceptable and outrageous state of affairs. US to the White house and the UK to Whitehall.

 

Can you guess, I am Pretty Mad at this situation.

 

This is when it is No longer, more Fun in the Philippines, (sorry my national friends But)

 

 

:tiphat:

[Call me bubba]

there are all date-expired. These were offered to a medical team going to eastern Samar as storage and temporary accommodation and they were gratefully received. But they never left the Freeport and are still sitting in the donor company's storage unit.

Why? Because Customs won't allow them to be imported to the Philippines proper until duty and tax has been paid.

 

Stupidity pure stupidity..

 

 until those who are in charge

realize how their actions hurt or even kill those that these donations are to help or save lives

this country will not (perhaps never) make progress

 to be a better country for its citizens

 

edit..

 

regarding relief goods or transportation  tools(loaders, land rovers)

if they are not used w/in the 1st 24-48 hours then the donors should remove them,

 as the value of their use diminish over time

giving them as a "GIFT" to the local units would be counterproductive as

they  (the local government) does not have the resources, tools or  mental ability  to maintain these "gifts"

in a matter of time, weeks if not in a month or 2. they would be inoperative due to...... (maintenance or other issues)

Edited December 9, 2013 by Pittman apartments Sgn

[Markham]

:Mad:123  :23_11_59[1]:  that Both the US and the UK,  Governments, sent for the Philippine Ambassadors of the respective countries to attend and explain this totally unacceptable and outrageous state of affairs. US to the White house and the UK to Whitehall.

 

Can you guess, I am Pretty Mad at this situation.

 

This is when it is No longer, more Fun in the Philippines, (sorry my national friends But)

 

 

:tiphat:

 

I agree with you, Jack, but what's His Excellency Enrique A. Manalo, the Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St James, going to tell William Hague that he already doesn't know? All he can do is repeat the request that the British Governmernt and DEC in future send cash - preferably in new, uncirculated fifty Pound notes - and keep schtum about how much has been raised/sent. "You take a bit, Mr Cameron takes a bit, we take the rest;  everybody's happy and no-one else is any the wiser."

 

He can go on to explain that some of the law makers have been caught with their fingers in the till and the public outcry is such that they need to find another way to make enough cash to buy their next election. The Typhoon was, they believe, God's answer to their prayer and they need to sell-off all the aid in order to make up the shortfall from the loss of their Pork Barrel.

 

But did nobody in the Department for International Development (DfID) - which organises UKAid and which bought and sent the JCBs and Land Rovers - check to see of Philippine Customs were going to levy any charges? It certainly seems that way and there's no excuse not to know because everything you need to know about what is dutiable and what isn't, is carefully explained on the Bureau of Customs web site. Its minister, Justine Greening, wanted a photo-op and hitched a ride on the RAF's C-130 to Cebu.

 

 

This "infographic" details the extent of British aid DfID believes is being delivered: