Massive theft of ‘Yolanda’ donations

With no assurance of housing assistance for all survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) and in the wake of reports about massive theft of disaster funds, overseas Filipinos with dependent families in calamity-stricken regions constantly worry about the next typhoon season. This is why Filipino migrant groups join the call for the Aquino administration to fully account for all the local and international aid given to Yolanda survivors through the government.

One year and eight months after the Yolanda devastation, we believe an international probe is in order to look into the Sona (State of National Abandonment) of Yolanda survivors. With reports of massive corruption of government disaster funds before and after the Yolanda devastation, we enjoin international media, citizens groups, the United Nations and other international agencies to monitor closely the affected regions especially as the 2016 elections augur further diversion of disaster funds for massive election campaign spending.

In particular, we urge international monitoring groups to look into: numerous reports of Yolanda survivors receiving none of the promised cash rehabilitation fund; misuse of disaster funds for election campaigns, and selective rehabilitation favoring cash distribution to known allies/supporters of the Aquino administration; continuing denial of land rights for the poor, and massive corporate takeover of land previously occupied by the urban poor.

To mark the second year after Yolanda, Filipino-Kiwi solidarity groups will host the convenor of People’s Surge, Dr. Efleda Bautista, for a speaking tour in New Zealand. Titled “In the Eye of the Storm: Disaster Politics And Climate Change In the Philippines,” Bautista’s tour provides an opportunity to hear directly how international aid, including that from New Zealand, was distributed.

—DENNIS MAGA,

national coordinator,

Migrante Aotearoa New Zealand,

secretariat@migrante.org.nz