Once again, we have been beset by natural disasters. Sydney has been ravaged by fires. The Philippines rocked by earthquakes that shook Bohol and Cebu and flattening historical sites to the ground.
Help is on the way. And so they say!
While our hearts may grieve for the victims of such calamities, it is also the time to be most vigilant. It is the time when con artists crawl out of the woodwork to play their games of pretend . They are at their grovelling best to squeeze every cent of donation and for a chance to shine. It is “papellation” time and they’ll be there for their ounce of glory.
Oh my, how can I be so negative at a time like this! Easy – experience! And sadly, it is the painful reality. Remember, the Ondoy appeal where boxes of goods never reached the victims? Some were stuck at the airport awaiting clearance and release by someone who was simply grandstanding. Some simply vanished into thin air or maybe ended up in “ukay-ukay”. There are many more examples of donations not reaching those intended or have been sidetracked or re-channeled for some reason or another by the powers that be.
Many clubs and organizations throughout the year conduct activities and declare “oh, but this is for charity” and yet we never hear how much was raised nor do we know if the funds ever got there. And as we are busy-busy, we never double check or validate. Generous hearts guided by trust.
Someone asked why we have to ask for permission to fundraise? It is done to safeguard the interests of the public. The people conducting the appeal must be registered; must have an existing license from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing; and must provide a detailed report of the funds raised. Although asking for a report is frowned upon, ask. Then again, these reports can be doctored. Be watchful of the trail of collections and remittances. Better yet, donate by issuing a cheque rather than cash. Cash goes astray; cheques leave a trail. It is important to know that donations are sourced by the right people and those you can trust. Furthermore, they should be coursed through the right agencies. Otherwise, it is absolutely pointless; a waste of time and energy. Perhaps for some, it is sheer ignorance. But there will be those who will be ready to pounce on their prey, while others in the know, will stubbornly refuse to look or act for fear of recrimination.
And so the Philippine Community Council (PCC) is all set to conduct a fund raising appeal through their PADER program (Philippine Australian Disaster Emergency Response). Interestingly, I received an invitation via email from Ms. Elsa Collado, PCC President on Sunday, 27 October at 8pm to participate in the fundraising appeal with a meeting set for the next day (28th). This of course is a total farce as the event had already been planned prior to the invitation.
The reality was Collado and her cohorts had no intention of including the previous volunteers and members of the PADER committee in view of the current unresolved issues between the PCC and the PADER members. They were to be disregarded or better still discarded for calling their attention and bringing up unwanted questions.
When the PADER volunteer members raised the alarm in May, for the unauthorized withdrawal of PADER funds, Ms. Collado, PCC President docked every email and letter. Rather than responding and having a dialogue with the group, Collado opted for the D-E-W effect (deny, evade, withdraw). Rather than facing the problem and finding a solution, she simply asked one signatory, Ms. De los Reyes to provide an affidavit retracting her signature. And yet a copy of that letter of retraction was never provided to the people concerned. Amusingly and surprisingly, Ms. De los Reyes does not even have a copy of that letter. Furthermore, Ms. Collado threatened to sue for defamation anyone who dared say anything about her. Likewise, no one from the Board has had the decency to reply or had the initiative to conduct a proper investigation of the circumstances. And members of the Board seem to be swinging from one side to the other depending on who they’re talking to. To date, there is still the question of why Banan, the treasurer issued a cheque with only signature when there should have been two signatories as required. No one seems to provide a sensible answer. Collado, a friend of Banan, has not investigated the matter further with the bank. Everything has been swept under the carpet in the hope of ‘forgive and forget.’
The Philippine Community Council, through their PADER program (Philippine Australian Disaster Emergency Response) have in the past conducted legitimate appeals which I have been part of. However, this time I refuse to participate unless somebody in PCC provides some sensible answers. I for one want to see a copy of the cheque to see the actual signatories on it. Unless I see that signed cheque, I am not trusting. As the peak organization, Collado and her band of merry men and women have some serious issues to attend to. The community deserves answers.
