What’s the truth about the Yolanda funds?

What started as a small thought in the mind of my good friend, Mr. Roberto “Bobby” Aboitiz, which The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. adopted and later his daughter turned into a children’s book, “Akong Bugsay” will soon be part and parcel of our education for our youth. It is for this reason why the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. has invited the media and friends to the launching of the “Akong Bugsay” learning materials and the signing of an agreement between RAFI represented by Sir Roberto “Bobby” Aboitiz and DepEd-7’s Dr. Carmelita Dulangon for the integration of the Bugsay Philosophy in the Department of Education curriculum.

The Bugsay Philosophy espoused by Sir Bobby Aboitiz is simply having a goal, planning it well and making sure everyone paddles in the same direction. It is easy enough even for the poor to understand this especially those people who live in the coastal areas whose lives depend upon the banca, as it is nearly similar to the Bayanihan spirit. Thanks to DepEd-7 they are committed to piloting the Bugsay Philosophy in selected public elementary schools in the 10 divisions of Cebu for the school year 2014-2015 and I’m certain we will crank out a new generation of Filipino youths that would work together. Kudos to Sir Bobby Aboitiz, RAFI and the DepEd-7.

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Now is a good time as any to ask the poignant question whether or not you gave any amount of money or in goods for the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda.” We’re asking this question because last May 13th, the Philippine Star came up with a report entitled “Audit Sought on Foreign Funds for Yolanda areas.”

Apparently that report came from Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who asked, “We, the public, have yet to see convincing documentary proofs of how the money has been spent so far. We don’t have any idea where the money and the goods are being kept, who are the custodians, how much has been disbursed or distributed and for whom or to where?” Rep. Romualdez also criticized the Aquino Regime for a lack of master rehabilitation plan for the devastated areas in Leyte and Samar and I should say also in Northern Cebu.

At this point, we can only point to Rehabilitation Czar former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson whose first duty is to assess how much was given by foreign governments, NGO’s, and private people, and how much did the Philippine government give? For sure, we know that the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. got a total of P203 million, which they intend to spend for the rehabilitation of damaged schools in northern Cebu and Leyte. That should lighten the load from the shoulders of Ping Lacson.

But more than six months from the time Super Typhoon “Yolanda” wreaked havoc in the Visayas on Nov.8, 2013, the Filipino people have been kept in the dark as to the total amount of donation that was given to those typhoon victims. Let me add that even up to this time, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council has somehow stopped the counting of the dead bodies, which Mayor Romualdez says that they find dead bodies every now and then.

For sure, they are under orders from no less than Pres. Benigno Aquino III that the statistics for the dead would never reach the 10,000 figure, lest relieved Philippine National Police  officer Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria of Region 8 would be proven correct when he estimated that there would be some 10,000 casualties from Yolanda.

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Our good friend, Rep. Raul del Mar emailed me his official letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala questioning him why his name was included in the Napoles list as reported in the Inquirer last May 19, 2014. Allow me to reprint an excerpt of his letter.

“May I take the liberty of stating that the inclusion of my name deserves the strongest censure because it sends something wrong and untrue to the “Court of public opinion.” I must stress this: I cannot recall as I am totally unaware, in my long years as a lawmaker, of any dealings with the DA-NAFC. I have never allocated any amount from my PDAF then for any DA-NAFC project for any NAFC-controlled program.

Strictly in his context, I would like to request your office to furnish me with all the available documents linking my name in any manner to the alleged DA-NAFC transaction. Should your office find no such official record, I shall appreciate an official certification to this effect. I for one strongly believe that if Rep. del Mar knows that he had dealt with the DA-NAFC, he would never write such a letter with the confidence that he has. I doubt if Mr. Alcala would be honorable enough to reply to his letter as he is involved in the scam.

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