DILG probes hoarding of relief goods in ‘Yolanda’ areas

DISASTERS have an immeasurable effect on children who are kept from going to school, like this boy in Tacloban who shields relief for his family from the rain, when classrooms or homes are destroyed. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines —The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Eastern Visayas is investigating reports that some local government officials are hoarding relief goods meant for victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Accused of hoarding relief goods were several mayors and officials of villages in different parts of Eastern Visayas, mostly in Leyte, said Pedro Noval, DILG director in Eastern Visayas.

“We received reports of hoarding, involving several public officials, and we are now conducting our investigation on this issue,” Noval said.

Many villagers have been complaining against officials hoarding relief goods but have filed no formal complaint, Noval said.

The regional DILG director refused to identify the officials who would be investigated.

According to Noval, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas is aware of the hoarding and has directed the regional office of the department to investigate.

He said food packs given to towns, cities or villages should be distributed immediately to residents of these areas who survived Yolanda, not the day after the goods had been received.

“We cannot let our people go hungry,” Noval said.

Noval said those found guilty of hoarding relief goods would be charged in court. He said the DILG investigation would be fair and not selective.

Roxas, a leader of the ruling Liberal Party, has been accused of playing politics in the early stages of relief work for victims of Yolanda in Tacloban, a city ruled by a mayor belonging to a rival political party of the LP.

Alfred Romualdez, of the Nacionalista Party, beat the LP candidate for mayor in Tacloban, Bem Noel, a former party-list representative.

Yvonne Abonales, who plays a key role in relief good distribution by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Eastern Visayas, said all food packs intended for typhoon victims have been accounted for by her office and distributed to the beneficiaries.

Since the DSWD started distributing relief goods on November 9, at least two million food packs have been distributed to more than 273,000 families in areas in Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar and Leyte, including Tacloban City.

These areas were the hardest hit by Yolanda.

Abonales said the DSWD workers in areas hit by the storm have not received any report of hoarding of goods, but “there are instances when we could not distribute relief items for the day.”

Abonales said DSWD workers could not immediately distribute relief goods to far-flung areas.