CEBU, Philippines - The two 40-footer vans containing relief goods supposedly for Yolanda victims were finally released Wednesday to a non-government organization but not until some of them have expired.
“Anugon. Makaon pa unta ni sa mga biktima sa bagyo kung na-release pa na dayon,” said Partemio Alo of the Knight-Stewards of the Sea, Inc. (Seaknights) while checking a box of expired biscuits.
Almost half of the biscuits and noodles, and all of the emergency food rations in that shipment have already expired.
The relief goods were donated by a religious organization, Knights of Malta, in Singapore for the victims of Yolanda in Kinatarcan Island, Santa Fe.
The donation arrived in Cebu last December but because of the “bureaucracy” at the Cebu International Port, the release was delayed for seven months, said Jean Suarez of Santo Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation.
“Di man gyud unta ni ma-release. Ambot unsa nala’ng gyud maagian nga problema. Sa kada adto namo, naa gyud problema, kuwang og document or pirma, kay decentralized kaayo,” said Suarez.
Last April, the group was supposed to get the vans but a shipping company charged them P128,000 demurrage fee, at P1,920 per day, for the two vans.
Fr. Tito Soquiño, executive director of SNAF, said they were not going to pay that much considering that the goods are for the victims of Yolanda and not to be sold for profit.
Fortunately the demurrage fee was waived but only until July 14 that SNAF had to pay P3,800 for the last two days the vans were stuck at the port.
Just when they thought they could leave the port after securing a clearance from the Wharfinger division of the Bureau of Customs, a certain Platel allegedly tried to wrestle away their documents insisting they should give him original copies.
Suarez said they already showed to him certified true copies earlier but all of a sudden, when they were at the gate, Platel changed his mind.
It was lawyer Kenneth Sesante of the Bureau of Customs who advised the group to leave Platel and his issues and told Platel to sue them instead.
It was discovered last Wednesday night when the two vans arrived in Barangay Biasong, Talisay City that several boxes of food packs were already expired and some are about to expire.
Fr. Aladdin Luzon of SNAF said they would take the rest of the food items, those that are still in good condition, to Kinatarcan Island, like the used blankets, clothing, toys, computer parts and others.
Luzon said they have yet to explain to their donors the delay of the arrival of the donation. (FREEMAN)