In Palo, Leyte: Expired relief goods end up in dump

CEBU, Philippines - Residents of Barangay San Jose in Palo town of Leyte said relief goods meant for typhoon survivors ended up in a dumpsite after being kept past their expiration date.

In a report aired on GMA News’ “24 Oras” on Thursday, some residents said the dumped relief goods were immediately buried by local government personnel using heavy equipment.

“Oo, nakakuha kami (expired relief goods), dalawang kilo ang aming nakuhang bigas, noodles, tinapay, may saging tapos yung bigas marami ang natapon,” resident Gerardo Catindoy said in the local dialect.

Other residents refused to face the media but confirmed expired relief goods were dumped in their village.

In a report in the Manila Standard Today on Wednesday, Palo Municipal Social Welfare and Development officer Rosalina Balderas admitted that “truckloads of expired and spoiled relief goods were dumped and buried in an open dumpsite in Brgy. San Jose [on] Feb. 5 and Mar. 6, 2014.”

In that newspaper report, Balderas said the goods were close to their expiry dates when brought to their office.

In an interview with GMA-7 News, Balderas refused to elaborate on her earlier statement. “I don’t want to comment anymore dahil nailabas na po ang sinabi ko,” she said.

When asked if  it was true that “truckloads” of expired and rotten relief goods were indeed dumped in Brgy. San Jose, Balderas just smiled and said, “basta, yun na sir.”

Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said she has ordered an investigation on the incident, but said that based on the initial report she received from the DSWD-8 regional office, only one sack of assorted biscuits, 10 pieces of cup noodles, half a sack of wet and damaged NFA rice and one sack of used clothing were disposed of in Palo, and not “truckloads” as earlier reported.

“Ito yung kanilang (DSWD-8) sinabi, naniniwala ako dito. Pero maganda ngang malaman kung ano ang nakikita ng mga tao (on the ground). Wine-welcome namin yung detalye (from the residents) kasi hindi naman namin maaksyunan kung wala kaming konkretong impormasyon,” Soliman said.

Soliman said Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla should be made to explain if it was true that dumping of expired goods in her town happened several times.

The secretary also appealed to the residents of an Jose not to dig up the expired relief goods allegedly buried in their area. “Delikado po yan sa inyong kalusugan. Mas malaki po ang magiging epekto niyan sa inyo kapag kinain niyo po iyan,” Soliman said.  — From the wires