EDITORIAL - Seeking aid

The United Nations World Food Program has sent an initial shipment of 100 tons of food consisting mostly of fortified biscuits to be distributed to victims of flooding and mudslides. Yesterday Germany announced an additional donation of 800,000 euros or about P55 million on top of its first grant of 500,000 euros. The bulk of the latest aid will be placed at the disposal of the WFP while about 100,000 euros will be coursed through a German humanitarian aid organization.

Other countries are also chipping in, despite the global economic downturn, and several have coursed their donations to international agencies or non-government organizations. Ireland coursed 200,000 euros through an Irish NGO in the Philippines and another 150,000 euros through the United Nations Children’s Fund.

If the Philippine government wants more foreign assistance, it should reassure the donor community that aid for typhoon victims will be properly utilized. It must devise a system of ensuring transparency in the distribution of relief goods and the utilization of funds for rehabilitation.

The UN issued a “flash appeal” for $74 million in emergency aid for about one million typhoon victims in the Philippines. As of last week, only $19 million had been committed by international donors. The response can be attributed to the global economic slowdown. But critics also believe it has something to do with fears that foreign aid will be misused by a government hounded by a long string of corruption scandals, and may even end up being used for partisan purposes in connection with the 2010 election campaign.

Yesterday Malacañang officials slammed the critics and assured the world of transparency in the utilization of aid for typhoon victims. Some government agencies in fact continue to enjoy the trust of the international community. Malaysia, for example, entrusted over P6.8 million worth of relief goods, including food items, blankets and clothing, to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which has a good track record in the proper use of aid.

But many donors, as well as foreign investors who will have to be called in for local partnerships in the massive task of rebuilding and implementation of flood control projects, will need reassurance from the government. The first batches of assistance should be used by the government as showcases of its avowed transparency and efficiency.