Casper on the Move

When disaster strikes

I attended an emergency meeting at the Philippine Embassy last 28th September to discuss matters relating to the Tropical Storm Ondoy.

I am so glad to have met again with old personal friends like Malcolm, Ate Adel, Ogie, Sherwin, and Archie. We had a good chat about a lot of things. It also seems like Ate Adel and my own personal feelings about the government is still the same.

As an embassy led emergency meeting, all consuls and diplomats were present. The meeting started with an updated information lifted from the NDCC website. The numbers are impressive but sadly it means nothing to those directly and indirectly affected by the calamity. While the figures are a very good psychological motivation for others to help, it also plays on the sympathy game. Do not take me wrong. Statistics are very useful to help prepare and learn from mistakes.

The meetings progressed to the main issue of how we can all help. It is evident that any help will be invaluable, in-kind or monetary. There were very good suggestions about how this can be effected and materialized but from the discussions, I cannot help but notice that the Consulate took a background stance with regards to the actual mobilization of relief. While they initially spearheaded the meeting, it is ironic for them to simply instruct all those present to direct all donations to the NDCC, PNRC or DSWD directly. They could have not called this meeting and instead emailed everybody to simply tell us to direct all relief efforts to Manila.

Various valid points were raised such as drop off points for goods and relief. Let us remember that the more than 200,000 Filipinos (and friends) are scattered all over the UK. The embassy finally agreed to centralize donation and relief collection points at the Philippine Embassy in Suffolk Street, London. So this means that if you live in Liverpool and would want to donate something, you can either travel all the way to London to deliver your donations or send it by post. While a centralized relief point is desirable, it is impossible and deters the main purpose of donation and relief. From a donor’s point of view, the simpliest and easiest way to donate is desirable. The more difficult or complex donating involves, the lesser the urge to donate develops. Well-known respected Filipino groups and organizations including established Filipino businesses volunteered to use their local base for donation centres. This is perfectly ok and do-able. However this opens the donating and relief operations to a whole new series of irregularities. The suggestion of one of the community leaders to get authorization from the Embassy to identify various local collection base and donation centres is a very sensible and more controlled option. However as before, the embassy emphasizes that it cannot do so as they are not allowed to specifically endorse or deputize any individual or group for this matter. It is perfectly understood why they cannot do so and there is no question about it. Their hands are tied by political correctness and protocols even during these trying times. The key to successfully organizing the local drop-off points was unintentionally shared by the group who wanted to get authorization from the embassy to become drop-off points in their local region. The group purported that they are a charity group and will be an ideal drop-off point should the Embassy authorize them. It was made clear to them that having said that they are a charity, they do not need the authorization of the Embassy and can just use their charity registration to effect a donation and relief centre. When told that their charity number in itself is an authorization, they said that they do not have a charity number. The truth then came out that they are not a UK REGISTERED CHARITY but a self-declared charity. 
Organizations registered with the UK Charities Commission are bound by certain legal governing documents and are publicly accountable. In these trying and difficult times, it does not cost a lot to do a little bit of background check and to learn more about the nature or conflict of interests of the groups or organizations that you are donating to. Donating to national organizations such as the NDCC, PNRC or DSWD or to charity but more trustworthy specific charities all depends on the individual preferences of the donor. Let us keep in mind that national relief centres pool their resources and distribute it to areas most needed according to what their statistic show. Charity specific organizations that are regulated by an external body (such as the UK Charity Commission) are recipient-specific and are generally more-trustworthy due to the less conflict of interest involved. Their accounts are also easily accessible compared to national bodies. Donors are more likely to see clear evidence of their donations given to charity organizations than to the national treasury.

Donations in-kind or monetary remain to the discretion of the donor. Our physical distance from the area of the calamity further makes donating a problem in this sense. While charity organizations can indeed collect, pack and ship physical donations of goods, it will take at least 7-weeks for these relief goods to reach the point of destination. In disaster cycle, this period will be categorized as the start of the rehabilitation or recovery period, wherein the victims will have started to focus on regaining normalcy in their life to the pre-calamity state. By this time, any immediate acute and emergency needs would have been dealt with by response teams. The recovery stage lasts for months or years after the calamity.

Being involved in charity work for years, donors intentions are simply to help. This is a normal and sensible action for anybody who witnesses any calamity and feels for the victims. Donors are however much more likely to be satisfied not only for having donated to the cause but if they are able to see the direct effects and evidence of their donations. In this sense, a more trustworthy relationship between the donor and charity organization evolves leaving a wider base of charity work.

The donation and relief consultation meeting ended with a lot of practical, sensible and great ideas but with a complete lack of agreed coordination and organized structure from the Filipino Community of which I was expecting the Philippine Embassy to spearhead. I strongly felt that different organizations and associations, to include business entrepreneurs and other individuals will now try to do their self-less part of helping our kababayans affected by the calamity. While the end aim is to ultimately generate assistance to those affected by the calamity, I wish to thank all those who have generously spared a penny or a shilling for our kababayans. I just do hope that the honest intent of simply being able to help will not be used as a selfish shadow by some. While nobody or no organization is perfect, hats off to the Philippine Embassy for bringing the issue upfront and for starting a series of events for the sake of our countrymen who needs us now more than ever.

The list of Filipino UK Registered Charity Associations (as listed in the UK Charity Commission website) are:

PHILIPPINE AID FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 
PHILIPPINE CENTRE (TAGPUANG PILIPINO)  
PHILIPPINE LANGUAGES INSTITUTE 
PHILIPPINE NURSES ASSOCIATION OF UNITED KINGDOM  
PHILIPPINE OUTREACH CENTRE MINISTRIES
PHILIPPINE SCHOOL AID   
THE PHILIPPINE COMMUNITY FUND 
THE PHILIPPINE FERRY DISASTER FUND  
FILIPINO INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (FICF) 
FILIPINO INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING ASSOCIATION 
THE CATHOLIC CHAPLAINCY FOR FILIPINOS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 

Donors are strongly encouraged to study the charity group thoroughly for their past charity works, their trustees, their accounts and their connections with the Philippines for charity work.

The 25th Barrio Fiesta sa Hounslow 2009 is finally over. The BF 2009 is the Philippine Centre’s main charity fund raising event to further its goals, objectives and aims.  More information can be found at the Philippine Centre’s website at www.philippinecentre.com.

Due to some late decision-making from this year’s appointed organizer and after some deep-thoughts and weighing its pros and cons, we have decided not to join the fiesta.

First, the organizer did not finalize the Health and Safety of the Fiesta in due time. It was sorted out on the last minute had it not been for our constant bickering and questioning. To try to help in the health and safety, we announced the need for volunteers for the fiesta within our group. But the very late nature of the announcement did not do any good. As everybody knows, schedules are made 4-weeks in advance and it is now too late to plan for any volunteering activities. Some of the replies we got further say that they can’t get any day off, they have already made plans for the weekend with family and friends, they have volunteered with other groups and some even stated that they are not getting anything in return for the service. Add to this factor the fact that the organizers want the volunteers to submit a copy of their professional license and certificate of qualification. Overkill is what I can say.

Feedback was given to the organizers about these comments and concerns. However, the organizer stung the volunteers with a sarcastic reply saying that the need for stewards and first aid volunteers have been sorted out and how un-Filipino for them to ask for something in return when the fiesta has been giving them entertainment for a good number of years. Well here is our reply to the organizers: “Kaya mo pala kumuha ng first aid and stewards eh…sila na lang and if you do not know, the association has been providing volunteers for the fiesta for the last five-years and all without any burden on the organizer’s part.” We have been providing steward and first aid volunteers with the group providing everything from band-aids to full safety gear and vital food for the volunteers. Now tell me if we have not been giving back to the community.

While we could have persisted to have our presence in the fiesta with the full support of the Philippine Centre, we decided to stay away to avoid any conflict and issues in the future. Most nurses also decided to work on these days instead of spending a day or two at the fiesta only to be insulted.

Being in the fiesta this year as a fiesta-goer and not as an organizer or a stall-holder is a completely different feeling. We were more relaxed and had more time to enjoy the food and the company of others. However as a community leader, stall holders and the general public continued to approach me and voice out their concerns and issues which I conservatively passed on to the appropriate persons or groups concerned.

Indeed according to one of people who approached me on that day, the fiesta is a community event and should be enjoyed by everybody. Personal and business interests should be set aside for the benefit of the greater majority. This includes being flexible and pro-active to the capabilities and needs of both the fiesta goers and those providing a service in the fiesta. While different businesses are managed on different levels and have varying degrees of capability, they should not be denied the opportunity to participate in the fiesta just because they cannot afford the fiesta rates or even commit to a future business venture with the organizer’s own conflict of interests.

I love this Doctor