EDITORIAL - Friends in need

The United Nations described as “unprecedented” the international response to the typhoon disaster in the Philippines. In several countries, ordinary citizens are raising funds and relief goods while their governments continue to mobilize resources and personnel to provide assistance. Many others have offered fervent prayers for both survivors and the fatalities.

As of Saturday night, the Philippine government had recorded assistance in cash and kind estimated at $248 million from over 40 foreign governments and three international organizations for relief and search and rescue operations. Private companies in the Philippines and other countries have also donated millions of dollars in cash and kind, with more continuing to pour in daily.

The nation can repay this outpouring of sympathy and assistance by making sure the aid will reach the intended beneficiaries as quickly and efficiently as circumstances will allow. A positive development is the report that the government has set up “one-stop shops” at entry points in Tacloban, Cebu and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for round-the-clock processing of relief goods and aid-related equipment from overseas.

Politicians should restrain their epal tendencies and either get out of the way or do what they can to facilitate relief operations without preening for the cameras. A humanitarian crisis is unfolding not only in Tacloban but also in many other parts of the Visayas, and the needed emergency response leaves no room for the usual political grandstanding.

As of yesterday, the government listed various forms of assistance provided by Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, the Vatican, Vietnam, UNICEF, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Arab Gulf Fund for UN Development. To all of them, and to the others sending various forms of aid in the coming days, Filipinos are profoundly grateful.