Haiyan Relief: UN Instructs U.S. Marines to Keep Relief Goods Away from Philippine Officials
By Reissa Su | November 14, 2013 4:25 PM EST

Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, left the central part of the Philippines devastated with an official death toll of 2,357 and 600,000 people displaced, according to authorities. Countries and various organisations around the world sent donations, medical and military personnel to aid ongoing relief operations.

Civilians displaced by Typhoon Haiyan board a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 at Tacloban Air Base before being transported to Manila November 13, 2013. More than 30 countries have pledged aid, but distribution of relief goods has been hampered by impassable roads and rudderless towns that have lost leaders and emergency
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As international aid continues to pour for the Philippines, the country's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that most of the donations will not be handed over to Philippine government agencies.

In an interview on Nov 13, DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said all international monetary donors will be coursing money through relief organisations, foundations and charitable institutions. The DFA will serve as the first contact of countries and international organisations that has pledged to donate. It will then pass the information to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and other related agencies involved in relief operations.


Some donors have reportedly began handing out relief goods to affected communities while others gave their in-kind donations to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the NDRRMC.

The U.S. Marines were reportedly instructed not to let Philippine government officials and politicians touch the relief goods that will arrive in Samar. Five C130 panes are scheduled to arrive, carrying relief goods from the United Nations.

Six days after one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded hit the cities and towns in central region of the Philippines, survivors became increasingly frustrated with the government's slow response to distribute badly needed food and water.

Source: Haiyan Relief: UN Instructs U.S. Marines to Keep Relief Goods Away from Philippine Officials - International Business Times
Hands-off mga politicians sa relief goods. lol.