Transport of donations Yolanda victims stalled

By Paul Rillorta

BAGUIO CITY –Thanks to kind-hearted city residents and donors, donations for Typhoon Yolanda victims still continue to pour-in coursed through private groups and the city government.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said donations for Typhoon Yolanda survivors is continuing despite log-jams in bringing them to the Visayas region.

Domogan urged donors to give cash donations instead to avoid pile-up of goods and save on shipping expenses.

“It would be more practical if we already give them cash through the proper government agency instead of in-kind goods to save on shipping fees,” he said.

Earlier, Domogan released Memorandum 16 series of 2014 to City Social Welfare Officer Betty Fangasan for the possibility of auctioning-out the accumulated in-kind donations for Yolanda victims and converting it to cash.

This way, the mayor said proceeds of the auction can already be sent and used by beneficiaries rather than waiting for it to be shipped-out which could take a long time. 

Shipping of donations nationwide has been stalled due to the huge volume of goods being sent to the typhoon ravaged region. 

The OCSWADO was tasked to set the date, venue and mechanics of the sale in coordination with the City Treasurer, City Administrator, Fire Marshall and other heads of offices.

Domogan said, “clothes and in-kind donations has piled-up and the transportation expenses for these goods could exceed its actual price.”

Domogan said the idea was hatched for practical reasons and for easier turn-over of the same to the intended beneficiaries.

As per record of Task Force Yolanda, the following goods are still stock-piled at the Bureau of Fire Protection and CDRRMC-DOC consisting of two sacks of rice, 5 boxes of assorted groceries, 488 sacks and 2 bales of assorted clothing, 3 boxes of assorted toys, 8 boxes of shoes, 5 boxes and 3 sacks of bags, 1 box of caps, 27 boxes and 27 cans of assorted goods, 125 kilos of rice grains, 2 boxes and 50 pieces of cookies, 21 boxes of bottled water and 172 bottles of water, 12 sachets of coffee, 19 boxes of assorted medical supplies, 16 boxes and 817 sacks of assorted clothing, 22 boxes of bags and shoes and 168 pairs of slippers.

As per reports from the Red Cross-Baguio chapter, they have turned-over P1,577,297.46 cash donations to the Philippine Red Cross National Head Quarters while 500 packs of relief goods containing 5 kilos of rice grains, 5 cans of sardines and 5 noodles are still stock-piled in their office.

This also includes 29,234 bottled water, assorted groceries, 8,788 assorted groceries, 380 packs of toiletries, 2,173 assorted diapers, napkins, toothbrush and candles, 160 boxes of matchsticks, 105 pairs of slippers, 103 pairs of socks, 676 sacks of assorted clothing and 11,977 assorted medical supplies.

Meantime, the city has endorsed two tranches of donations for Yolanda victims to the Philippine Air Force National Relief Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City November, last year and still awaits for availability of transport to bring the goods to the Visayas region as soon as possible.