Ormoc groups set up ‘Yolanda Resource Network’

MANILA, Philippines - Private sector organizations in typhoon-hit Ormoc City banded together to set up the “Yolanda Resource Network” to respond to aid groups that do not want to course their donations through politicians.

In an initial meeting held at the Ormoc Villa Hotel on Tuesday, officials from these groups pledged to coordinate their relief efforts and see to it that the distribution of aid will be fair and not tainted by patronage politics.

Among those who attended the meeting were representatives and leaders of the Ormoc Chamber, the two Rotary Clubs in the city, at least two Lions clubs, the Ormoc Doctors’ Hospital, Ormoc City Medical Society and even the church group, the Holy Rosary Crusade.

Ormoc Chamber president Iñigo Larrazabal said they banded together after receiving inquiries from groups here and abroad on where to course their donations and how they would be distributed fairly.

Appointed “head coordinator” of the network is retired Navy officer Troy Bumagat, former aide-de-camp of presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro.

In a phone interview with Bumagat, he said the idea of a “network” was conceptualized after two representatives from DREAMS or the Disaster Response and Evaluation Assessment System from Mindanao arrived in Ormoc and noted the lack of an efficient response to the relief needs.

Bumagat said that right now, what is needed is “consequence management system” and a command center to address the volunteer and auxiliary response. Bumagat noted many wanted to help but did not know where to go.

Nonetheless, he said, the Yolanda Resource Network will coordinate with the local government unit and do parallel operations to avoid duplication.

“We will fill the needs of what the LGU might miss or skip,” he said.

He also said that whatever relief operations being done by the local governemnt seemed tainted with politics, noting that “there is already relief distribution but the favored barangays get priority.”

Bumagat said he was pushing the local government to do a massive barangay assessment and gather the critical data if the city hopes to get United Nations aide.

Meanwhile, Larrazabal said he is urging Ormoc officials to secure the city and make it safe for businesses to operate again. “We have to make a positive effort to show that we can rebuild Ormoc. We have to show people that Ormoc can rise up again,” he said.

He said it was appalling to note that despite alleged intelligence reports that a syndicate of looters were eyeing Ormoc, there is no police visibility.

“We have to show people that we are united and will fight threats to our business, lives and properties,” he said.

Larrazabal said they can do so if “we can show them that we are already functioning. We should start cleaning our markets, do some economic activities to make people feel hope.”

In Baybay City, some 45 minutes away, Prince Warehouse owner Robert Go said he resumed operations Tuesday after Mayor Carmen Cari assured him that they would secure them from mobbing.

He said thousands had trooped to Baybay yesterday, some coming from Ormoc and other areas. Last night, he shipped out more goods from Cebu City but added that rice remains a problem.

“Cebu has run out of rice and we are hoping to get from Manila. This is after the earthquake and the panic buying before Yolanda,” Go said.

Go said even the Prince Store in Maasin City, 100 kilometers away and not as badly hit by Yolanda, has been wiped clean.

He agreed that to get Ormoc back on its feet, the local government must show it is in control of the situation.

He lauded Cari and for being able to run things smoothly in Baybay, even if it was badly battered by Yolanda. He said that a day after the typhoon hit, the mayor asked to get goods from his store for relief efforts.

Sources said the mayor prioritized the frontliners in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the initial distribution of relief goods so they can still report to work, knowing that their families will not grow hungry.