Donors don't trust the government on aid distribution

The worst that can befall a nation is when disaster strikes and the people do not trust the government to be honest enough to manage relief, assistance, and even rescue operations. Those who want to help do not want the government to handle distribution of money, food, and other forms of assistance. There is a crisis of confidence in the government.

We know why there was chaos in the initial phases of the relief and assistance distribution to victims of the earthquake in Bogo City, and in the towns of San Remigio, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Sogod, and other places in the north. All donors decided to do the distribution themselves and nobody was on top to coordinate, manage, synchronize, and oversee the traffic from Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, and all other cities and towns from the south. Each one was on his or her own. There was no overall leader who was on top of the situation. The provincial officials' attempt to centralize relief distribution was not followed because the people do not trust the government in general.

Given all the bad publicity of DPWH officials allegedly in cahoots with congressmen and senators as well as in collaboration with corrupt contractors, the government in general has almost totally lost credibility. And given national conversations via social media on how officials allegedly stole the billions of dollars in foreign contributions to victims of Yolanda, Ondoy, Thelma, Pablo, and other natural disasters and calamities, we cannot blame the donors to the earthquake victims. The government, in the minds of the people, is no longer trustworthy and so, they took matters into their own hands and decided to go themselves and distribute directly to the people.

The government cannot react by putting up military-style checkpoints. The people are already feeling distrustful of the government and the officers manning the checkpoints were seen as a symbol of the forcible and domineering arrogance of those in power. The national and local government, instead, should have managed the traffic to and from the disaster areas. They should have explored options like using maritime and air transport facilities to bring in government aid and assistance. But at the height of the chaos, there was no single leader who had both the competence and the credibility to secure obedience and coordination.

The bottom line of all these is that the government cannot be trusted anymore to give immediate, sufficient, and honest service to the victims. At least, that is the general sentiment of the people. We cannot blame the people for losing their trust and confidence in the government and public officials. The government itself and the public officials have themselves to blame for this endemic crisis of confidence. Both empirical data and anecdotal evidence indicate that the church, the academe, and the civic organizations have better records of honesty and fairness in distribution of goods and resources for aid and relief.

Some senators and congressmen, mayors and other trapos were quick to exploit the situation by having their photoshoots while handing over rice and sardines to the poor victims. The traditional politicians went there to be seen and not really to help. These are the behavioral patterns that turn off people and exacerbate the widespread loss of trust in government. Worse, some Cebu congressmen were never seen or heard. Some of them were abroad enjoying Europe while the people were suffering. This kind of callous indifference is exacerbating the peoples' loss of trust in government.

The government officials should reflect on this sad reality, instead of bashing the bearer of this message. It is high time that both the government and the people should learn from all our tragic experiences. Or perish in the next disaster and calamity. I am deeply saddened by what our nation has become.