Two of the most popular international news media organizations in the world, CNN and BBC slammed the Aquino Administration’s “disorganized” aid operations and relief efforts in areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan).
Related Article: Anderson Cooper Reported Delayed Response by Phil. Gov’t on Relief Efforts
According to world-renowned CNN journalists Anderson Cooper in his report, he stated that what is happening in Tacloban City is a “demolition, not a construction job.” He adds further that “There is no real evidence of organized recovery or relief,” Anderson said.
President Aquino in Tacloban (Photo: Manila Bulletin)
The primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360° said that it has been five days since the storm but it is still not clear who is in charge in providing (–foul word(s) removed–)istance in the area. Fellow CNN journalist Paula Hancocks also added that the search and rescue were never materialized.
Anderson Cooper also compared the current situation of the Philippines to the previous devastation experienced by Japan when it was hit by a powerful earthquake and Tsunami wherein the after two days they have barely seen bodies scattered around the devastated areas. Cooper even stated that even without the equipment, the Japanese soldiers used sticks in search for bodies and survivors.
BBC reporter Jon Donnison also reported that, “there does not seem to be an effective operation to get help to those in need.” he said. The Malacañang, through Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, said relief goods were getting into the City of Tacloban. However, a reporter from the (–foul word(s) removed–)ociated Press who drove for Tacloban for around 4 miles on Wednesday reported that “no evidence of any organized delivery of food, water, or medical supplies, though piles of aid have begun to arrive at the airport.
A recent reports from the New York Times also stated that a team from Médecins Sans Frontières, complete with medical supplies who arrived in Cebu island last Saturday have been looking for a flight to Tacloban up to Tuesday but was informed that Tacloban airport is only for the Philippines military use.
The Philippine President, Pres. Aquino himself met with key officials Tuesday night to revise the masterplan for disaster response amid criticisms by local and international media networks of the slowness – if not inadequacy – of government’s aid to the victims.
Here’s the tweets by Anderson Cooper:
“I have not seen a large Philippine military presence out around here” @andersoncooper in #Tacloban. #AC360
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) November 13, 2013
Here’s what ABC News said:
http://abcnews.go.com/m/blogEntry?id=20868935
There are signs here in the
Philippine capital that the government simply
cannot handle the m(removed)ive challenges the
country faces in the wake of Typhoon
Haiyan.
Villeamor Airbase – home of the Philippine
Air Force and the main staging area for relief
flights to the disaster zone – seems to be
operating at half-speed. There is no thrum of
activity, no evidence that there’s a real sense
of urgency among the Philippine troops here.
Every once in a while a civilian car pulls up
and unloads a few boxes of goods some
neighbors have collected. They put them on
the sidewalk and drive away. A little while
later, some Filipino troops (or reporters)
move them inside. No method. No
organization. It’s as if an earthquake hit
southern California and Vandenburg or Nellis
AFB were quiet and half-populated.
The U.S. Marines have swung into action,
certainly. But there are just 215 of them right
now, and they must coordinate with the
Philippine government. As one high-ranking
officer told me here about the host
government, “They’re paralyzed.”
An Israeli Foreign Ministry official confirmed
that impression privately to me. The Israeli
team is here to (removed)s what their country
can contribute and where. Over the years,
Israel has developed excellent field hospital
capabilities that they’ve brought to disasters
in Haiti and elsewhere.
But the Israelis, too, need to coordinate with
the Philippine government. “When we ask
them what they need, they tell us to talk to
the Americans,” the official said.
And then early today, about 5 a.m. local time,
we went to what we were told was a major
relief staging area at the National Resource
Operations Center. No one was there. Repeat:
No one was there. A few pallets of water
were on the ground. A couple of dogs barked
at us. We were told everyone else had gone
home for the night.
Now, of course, this is one day’s view of a bit
of the huge effort beginning here. And the
sheer scale of this catastrophe would
overwhelm the governments of the most
advanced and wealthiest countries.
Superstorm Sandy revealed that in the U.S.
And the Philippine government is still reeling
from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last
month.
Still, there is what seems like a strange
lethargy and lack of direction on the ground
here. They need to fix that.