UN Starts Whip Round for Typhoon Haiyan Victims

I just came across this article and video from the BBC. It has launched an appeal for £301 million to help the devastated areas. I can't embed the video here but it can be found in the link below.

www.bbc.co.uk...

At least 10,000 people are feared to have been killed by Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the central Philippines on Friday. The UN says more than 11 million people are believed to have been affected by the storm and some 673,000 displaced.

This video shows the utter devastation that has hit the Philippines. There are no words to describe it that I can think of. I cannot imagine that level of suffering. I just stare open mouthed at what has been left behind. I mean, there are cargo ships planted on top of peoples houses. It is unbelievable.



This is a video of raw footage of the devastation and it is truly shocking. It is horrific.



I will be supporting the appeal as soon as it is payday. I want to help in any way I can. I still can't believe what my eyes see.

People can support the appeal by clicking the link below and donating to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

www.dec.org.uk...

The southern parts of the Philippines are less prosperous and populated but the damage really is mind bending.

More images of typhoon damage from CNN

More ways to help support relief efforts here... Ive used Mercy Corps before and recommend them, second pick would be the official Red Cross links.

reply to post by Tsu322


I hate to tell you but at least half of the money donated will not reach the people of the Philippines. Knowing the government there it's more likely (if it hasn't already happened) that this money has already been diverted to some fake NGOs. The Philippines is an amazing country with warm people and a beautiful culture (been there many times). Unfortunately they suffer under massive government corruption and greed.

The death numbers batted around are not even close IMO. These poor people who had almost nothing to begin with except family have been decimated. Their homes and places of work totally destroyed. Then when the survivors come out there is no water to drink, no food, nothing if you are injured..

They can not get water and food there fast enough IMO. Next there will be disease that will probably rear its' ugly head.

I heard someplace there were 300,000 expats who live in PI... I know we have a member or two at ATS that live there but no doubt they have no Internet if they were close to the impact area. Think about 2 or three days without water or food and how you would manage especially with young ones...Many were still living in tents after the earthquake... Life is not what most would consider fair sometimes...

I can afford 80 quid when I get payed I wish I could give more.
Even If its a couple of bucks people do it. It is the right thing to do to help them.
Anyone know If Cheesy is ok? I seem to remember he is from there, I hope he gets online and gives us an update.

boymonkey74
I can afford 80 quid when I get payed I wish I could give more.
Even If its a couple of bucks people do it. It is the right thing to do to help them.
Anyone know If Cheesy is ok? I seem to remember he is from there, I hope he gets online and gives us an update.

Close but no cigar he is from Indonesia.

RedShirt73
reply to post by Tsu322

 

I hate to tell you but at least half of the money donated will not reach the people of the Philippines. Knowing the government there it's more likely (if it hasn't already happened) that this money has already been diverted to some fake NGOs. The Philippines is an amazing country with warm people and a beautiful culture (been there many times). Unfortunately they suffer under massive government corruption and greed.

That may be true about the 1/2 not making it but that also means that some portion, up to the other half should make it.
I donated last night to the Red Cross of America mostly because they are a familiar organization and one that I feel, within myself, will make good happen with some of it. I know there is overhead and such but the amount I gave was not a significantly large amount and certainly more economical than flying over there myself to help out.

I don't have a lot of disposable income hanging around but I took some time to donate $30. (btw: the minimum on the Red Cross site is $10). I made that money available in my budget by swapping my usual lunches this week for some cheaper alternatives like ramen, soups and canned chili w/crackers. It is hard, sometimes, for people to trust an organization with their money but they are providing an avenue of hope for a devastated population and that's where we should be focused.

I know there are lists out there of organizations and their breakdowns of donation allocations. I have not looked because I did not want to talk myself out of hitting that donate button. It would be nice to hear from other members who have donated, which charity and why they chose it if they feel like sharing as it may help others who are on the fence or unsure about where to give for the best return on their gift.

For everyone on here that has donated, I personally thank you!

-evc

reply to post by 727Sky


Phew I got worried Hooray for Cheesy!!!

reply to post by boymonkey74


I'm not sure where Cheesy is but I saw in one of his threads that he is from Indonesia. Where ever he is I hope he is OK. I don't think I have seen him for about two weeks, it's very worrying.

Thank you everyone for your comments.

I bet the price of coconuts and coconut oil is going to go way up. I bet pineapple prices may rise a lot also. Carrageenan prices will go up too, the seaweed beds are probably all on shore. That hurricane is not only a local event, they are one of the worlds biggest producers of these goods. Their local economy will be crumbled for a year. This initial event is just the tip of the iceberg for them over there.

I feel sorry for those people over there. We will forget about them in a few months but they will still be suffering hardship for a long time. There is no way to prepare for such an event as that, two hundred thirty mile per hour gusts will resonate most buildings to pieces.

reply to post by rickymouse


Yeah to think the UK went wild when we had our storm and gusts of 80mph.. just crazy at 230mph
More and more pics and vids are coming out by the hour, It is like Armageddon over there.

reply to post by evc1shop


I'll be heading over there next month for christmas. Fortunately my fiancé and her family are in Bulacan, north of Manila and were not hit that hard, just some minor flooding.

reply to post by boymonkey74


It has really made me think twice about being disappointed about our lack of serious storm last month. I kinda feel ashamed that I was looking forward to it now. It kinda puts things in perspective, we don't know how lucky we are to be in boring old Britain.

RedShirt73
reply to post by evc1shop

 

I'll be heading over there next month for christmas. Fortunately my fiancé and her family are in Bulacan, north of Manila and were not hit that hard, just some minor flooding.

I am not very familiar with the Philippines at all so I do not know if your trip will take you on a path near any of the harder hit areas but I do wish you a safe trip and hope that you and your fiancé get to celebrate not only Christmas but life itself, especially after this devastation.

Donating cash to relief organization such as the Red Cross is usually converted to goods like foods and building materials and then distributed by the local counterpart in those areas so it is highly unlikely corrupt gov't officials will take interest or can take over on hoarding those donations. Besides, it's not easy to hide unlike cash itself. It's usually those aids handed to the state that gets diverted towards a politician's pocket.

RedShirt73
reply to post by Tsu322

 

I hate to tell you but at least half of the money donated will not reach the people of the Philippines. Knowing the government there it's more likely (if it hasn't already happened) that this money has already been diverted to some fake NGOs. The Philippines is an amazing country with warm people and a beautiful culture (been there many times). Unfortunately they suffer under massive government corruption and greed.

In addition to the government greed and corruption, it makes me sick to think how much these organizations, such as Red Cross, keep for administrative purposes. They keep large portions of the donations, usually around 40% and 50% for their costs. So, if they collected $100m, they would need 40 mil for operational costs. Give me a break. This was a big problem after 9/11. Over a billion was collected and didn't reach the victims.

Rezlooper

RedShirt73
reply to post by Tsu322

 

I hate to tell you but at least half of the money donated will not reach the people of the Philippines. Knowing the government there it's more likely (if it hasn't already happened) that this money has already been diverted to some fake NGOs. The Philippines is an amazing country with warm people and a beautiful culture (been there many times). Unfortunately they suffer under massive government corruption and greed.

In addition to the government greed and corruption, it makes me sick to think how much these organizations, such as Red Cross, keep for administrative purposes. They keep large portions of the donations, usually around 40% and 50% for their costs. So, if they collected $100m, they would need 40 mil for operational costs. Give me a break. This was a big problem after 9/11. Over a billion was collected and didn't reach the victims.

Rezlooper, do you mean that before the first pallet of supplies is gathered, packed and shipped, that the Red Cross takes an approximate 50-60% cut off the top for admin purposes? Or is a part of that admin overhead actually put towards the mobilizing of people and resources and distribution & management of goods and supplies purchased with the other 40-50% ?.
I am wondering what the breakdown really is because I expect there to be an overhead cost to what I donate since there have to be people, travel, lodging, transport of goods, administration of services, advertising costs and probably even more things I have not listed here involved in the process of dealing with a catastrophic event or simply, during good times, running the organization and collecting general donations (not specific to an event) for future preparedness.

As I have stated in an earlier post, I have donated to the Red Cross since they can do a far better job of taking what I have put forth and turning it into something that can truly help a group of survivors. I do not expect all of my donation to get to the end but I do expect that a good portion of it will be used to get the rest of it there and that a small part of it would go to actually keeping the organization afloat as well.

It is definitely a good idea to know how the numbers break down for a particular organization if you are considering using them to get your aid to the victims but in the end, to me, I am also putting a lot of faith in the fact that the monies I am giving will do something to effect the outcome of the lives that have been impacted.

Those airplanes and truck and fuel and people out in the field managing the process of distributing the supplies to each group of people need money to operate, the same as if you or I wanted to jump in your car and help the folks in the Katrina incident, you drive there with supplies you purchased, maybe need a hotel along the way, food to keep yourself going, gas for the car, tolls, etc..

If the Red Cross seems so bad to you, can you name another organization that does as much with a leaner admin % ?

I am totally into donating where it will do the most good and to me my donating at the Red Cross was done because I felt in my heart that I can trust them to use their presence to give aid and hope to so many.

I have asked earlier if anybody can list who they use for donations so the rest of us members can have more options to evaluate, do you have a favorite yourself?

I'm not giving any money. Not much anyway.

But is there a boat or a plane Any where taking off from USA to Philippines? That either costs little money to board, or I can work for the ride??

Would I be helping at all? Or hurting? Since no food, water, I just be another mouth to feed?

reply to post by evc1shop


Here's a good article about the Red Cross

The Problem with the Red Cross

Basically makes a good point about the Red Cross showing up a week late to Hurricane Sandy when the most help was needed immediately following a disaster. It stated that the Red Cross received $117 m in donations and then got flack about where it was going to spend it, so they promised to spend 91 cents of every dollar there in Jersey and New York, but the author questions how it can spend that ridiculous amount of money a week after the real pain was felt. It should have been in there with food, water, gas, lodging, etc. in the first days when people needed it most. They didn't need money in the first three days of the disaster. The author's point...the Red Cross should come in immediately with bankrolled money and help where needed at whatever costs, not a week later...and then bank away the $117 m collected for future disaster preparedness. Makes a lot of sense.

Sometimes trying to find the more localized organizations to donate money may be better spent. As in the article posted above, he mentions local groups that formed to aid Sandy sufferers. But, how does one find those organizations is the question, especially when the suffering is in the Philippines.

Rezlooper
reply to post by evc1shop

 

Here's a good article about the Red Cross

The Problem with the Red Cross

Basically makes a good point about the Red Cross showing up a week late to Hurricane Sandy when the most help was needed immediately following a disaster. It stated that the Red Cross received $117 m in donations and then got flack about where it was going to spend it, so they promised to spend 91 cents of every dollar there in Jersey and New York, but the author questions how it can spend that ridiculous amount of money a week after the real pain was felt. It should have been in there with food, water, gas, lodging, etc. in the first days when people needed it most. They didn't need money in the first three days of the disaster. The author's point...the Red Cross should come in immediately with bankrolled money and help where needed at whatever costs, not a week later...and then bank away the $117 m collected for future disaster preparedness. Makes a lot of sense.

Sometimes trying to find the more localized organizations to donate money may be better spent. As in the article posted above, he mentions local groups that formed to aid Sandy sufferers. But, how does one find those organizations is the question, especially when the suffering is in the Philippines.

I did not think the Red Cross was late because they were waiting for donated $ to arrive first. I thought the timing was in the mobilization of the supplies and the fact the area was inaccessible in many parts due to street blockages and flooding.

I would expect that if a storm were brewing of that magnitude that a preemptive deployment of resources would be a wise thing, maybe stage them just outside the anticipated storm path and then get them mobile as soon as the all clear sounds.

Maybe the gears aren't greased as well as I thought. You certainly bring good talking points to light here. I may be more cautious in the future but right now, I am glad I gave something because I know some of it will help.

I will continue to read up on the Red Cross and other organizations that have stepped in as I find them. If I have time, I might just start a thread on the aid side of the catastrophe in the Philippines.

Thanks for your insight.

-evc