November 2009

DSWD RESPONSE TO RUMORS OF INACTION AND CORRUPTION

The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney is posting the statement of Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral
addressing the circulating allegations that relief goods donated by overseas Filipinos
and concerned groups are not being distributed by the DSWD.

The reports on the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the National
Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) on the dispatch of relief goods and delivery of
humanitarian aid may be accessed at the websites at www.dswd.gov.ph and
www.ndcc.gov.ph, respectively.

STATEMENT OF DSWD SECRETARY ESPERANZA CABRAL ON THE ISSUE OF RELIEF GOODS IN THE DSWD WAREHOUSE 24 OCTOBER 2009

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) manages the National Relief
Operations Center (NROC) which is the facility for processing and storage of relief goods
that are purchased by the Department or donated to us by the generous individuals here and abroad. The relief goods are released to our Regional Offices or directly to evacuation centers or to the local government units as they are needed and requested by these entities. They are delivered in trucks, many of which were lent to us by private companies, or the military vehicles. Some of these goods are shipped by air from nearby Villamor Airbase.

When typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng hit the country, we received and are continuing to receive donations. Our warehouses are indeed full, inspite of the fact that we have distributed 500,000 foodpacks and 200,000 clothing packs as well as thousands of sacks of rice, blankets, beddings and items of personal hygiene in the past four weeks. That is the reason why when asked if we still have enough goods, my constant reply is yes, so far we do. I thank the kind hearted individuals and organizations, as well as governments, who responded and are still responding to the plight of the typhoon victims.

There are no rotting relief goods in our warehouses, as we do not keep perishables there and the relief goods that are there are quite new, save for the donated old clothes, since they have been either recently purchased by us or have been just donated.

The goods are repacked by volunteers who are there because they want to help. But they are volunteers and report when they have time to help us. Sometimes there are two hundred of them and sometimes only a dozen. However many or few they are, we appreciate their presence and assistance. Weekdays are usually quiet, but on Saturdays and Sundays, students along with others who work Monday to Friday, including our employees, are there.

Our staff at the warehouse work round the clock even now, making sure that the requests for relief goods are met in a timely manner. They work hard, they work quietly, and they work humbly, and I feel bad that they have been subjected to public vilification that they do not deserve.

I do not recall having talked to an editor of Philippine News. I do remember my secretary
telling me that someone was on the phone asking why there were no volunteers working at the warehouse. My reply was we do not own the time of the volunteers.

I wish that I could have prevented the deaths from typhoons, but in fact, they have nothing to do with the relief goods that we are in charge of. Most of the deaths were from drowning or injuries sustained during the typhoon. Some died of illnesses. We are not in charge of rescue nor are we in charge of health, and in the best of my knowledge, none of the deaths were due to absence or delay in the delivery of relief goods.

We would like to assure all of you that the relief goods will reach the intended beneficiaries as they become necessary and will be used only to assist them. However, the relief goods don’t go out at the same time and an empty warehouse is not proof that the goods were used, just as a full warehouse is not evidence that the goods are being hoarded. If you visit our website www.dswd.gov.ph, you will find updates on our activities related to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. It includes an updated list of donations received and goods released from the DSWD warehouse.

There are many aspects to disaster response. They include recovery and rehabilitation and in both instances, goods and other resources are still needed. In the initial reaction to a calamity, people will want to help and, as we saw recently, they came in droves, offering their time, their talent and resources. We want them to know how much we appreciate them for what they have done and what they are still doing. But further down the road, when the initial flush of generosity gives way to donor fatigue, there will remain only a few hardy NGOs and volunteers and workers of the DSWD and other government agencies to continue the job of helping the disaster victims get back on their feet. Judicious use of resources at the onset is imperative lest we face the situation of even greater want after a period of relative plenty. We at the DSWD wish to assure you that your trust in us is not misplaced. Thank you.