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The Pork Barrel Scandal: A Storm Amid a Storm

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As relief efforts to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Typhoon Yolanda, continue, Philippine legislators are currently being tried for corruption charges regarding misuse of public funds.

Dubbed the “pork barrel scandal,” lawmakers amassed funds aimed to impress local constituents into stimulus programs. Primary among these were the Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF) and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), programs discovered to be non-existent NGOs publicized to alleviate poverty and invest in public infrastructure.

In reality, the pork barrel funds ended up in the coffers of five senators and 23 congresspersons. Notable among these is the alleged ringleader Janet Lim-Napoles, owner of the JLN Group of Companies. Napoles is reported to have used the funds to purchase real estate in Los Angeles.

In light of the pork barrel scandal, doubts are cast in relation to President Benigno Aquino III’s image as an enemy of corruption and it hinders efforts for further economic reform. Aquino ran on a ticket to fight corruption in 2010 – evoking his mother, Corazon Aquino’s successes against the corrupt-ridden regime of Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s.

Aquino himself is being accused of bribing legislators’ loyalty. Around $500 million of discretionary funds for projects were dropped, an amount meant for Haiyan reconstruction.

Transparency regarding the use of governmental funds, particularly disaster relief efforts, is not a new problem. In 2009, local officials were accused of having stolen $20.7 million intended for restoring storm-ravaged northern Luzon through nongovernmental institutions.

Additionally, as stated in a report by the World Bank, addressing the links between poverty and vulnerability by the government, through proper measures and projects, could have prevented further disaster.

And yet, Malacañang emphasizes good governance and faith in relief structures. The Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH) was established by the Department of Finance and Department of Foreign Affairs in order to better monitor and track disaster aid. The FAiTH webpage (http://www.gov.ph/faith/#) consists of a list of donor countries and organizations. The site elaborates upon the amount given and the respective organizations to which they are given. FAiTH is comprised of seven different departments within the federal government.

As the country with the largest Catholic inhabitants in Asia, faith gives hope amidst the death toll of over 5,000 with many more displaced. Faith in the idea of good government, however, is, literally, standing trial.

– Miles Abadilla

Sources: The Republic of the Philippines, The Independent, Huffingtion Post, Reuters, NBC

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One Direction’s Busy November

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As it happens, One Direction is not just another single-minded boy band dolling out love songs and capturing the hearts of teenage girls around the world. In fact, unlike most boy bands one may think of, One Direction is putting their worldwide status to good use by regularly participating in fundraising for a slew of causes. Indeed, their multiple efforts just last month is a cause for praise.

In early November, Liam Payne and Harry Styles joined the Y Combinator startup company, Prizeo, in a fundraising campaign that raised $784,345 to benefit cancer research.  Prizeo “relies on a raffle model where contributors get a single entry for every dollar donated, the grand prize being an in-person experience with the sponsoring celebrity.”  The One Direction grand prize was an evening out in London with Payne and Styles, while smaller perks included custom t-shirts, social media profile pictures, bracelets, photos and a One Direction sweatshirt signed by the group members.

The band also joined a Celebrity Telethon in support of Typhoon Haiyan survivors, where they officially launched the telethon via their Twitter account.  The event took place in London at the iconic BT Tower, where callers were able to talk to a famous voice and have their donations taken by one of numerous celebrity participants.  One Direction’s Liam Payne expressed his sympathy for the survivors, stating, “The pictures I have seen of little children in-between the ruins made my heart break.  All of us in the band are shocked by how many people need help, so we’re asking the public to continue to be as generous as they possibly can.”  The UK Disasters Emergency Committee raised £90,000 directly from the telethon, which helped raise their total Philippines Typhoon Appeal donations to over £44 million.

One Direction further hosted a portion of the BBC’s Children in Need charity event, where they performed their hit song “Best Song Ever” and also designed and personalized a special Pudsey Bear, which was auctioned off to raise money for the charity.  This year’s event raised over £31,124,896.

Just last week, group member Harry Styles garnered support for UNICEF by auctioning his unwashed shirt on the designer discount website hardlyeverwornit.com.  A Texas businessman made the highest bid, offering £3,002 for the shirt.

– Rifk Ebeid

Sources: Mirror, Forbes, Look to the Stars, Disasters Emergency Committee: Celebrity Telethon, Press Party, Disasters Emergency Committee: Stars Join Telethon, Twitter

In Memory of Paul Walker – A Famous Hollywood Star and Active Philanthropist

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Much of the world has been shattered and shocked by the news of Paul Walker’s untimely death-a Hollywood star whose light was snuffed out far too soon.

Earning his star power through highly successful movies such as the Fast and the Furious franchise, Paul Walker lead Hollywood as an effective leading man with his charismatic personality and smoldering good looks.

Yet beyond the screen persona and steely blue eyes was a beloved philanthropist who devoted himself to extensive charity work that outreached numerous people in need.

At the time of his death, Walker was in attendance at his own charity event- the Reach Out Worldwide charity car show in Valencia, California. He hosted the event in hopes of collecting donations to assist those affected by Typhoon Haiyan and the Illinois tornadoes.

Before setting out on the car ride that would result in his tragic death, Walker had been overjoyed to find that the gathering had accumulated a great turnout in both attendees and donations.

An attendee of the event and a longtime friend of Walker’s, Bill Townsend spoke to People magazine about Walker’s very kind and approachable demeanor at the event, stating: “Paul was standing around like he was just one of the guys. He’s one of the most grounded people you could ever imagine.”

As an individual who highly succeeded in staying grounded, Walker had many charities and causes that remained linked to his root of devotion.

Reach Out Worldwide (ROWW) reigned as an active source of his philanthropic endeavors, as a nonprofit organization he founded himself after observing the lack of resources for immediate relief response for the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

According to the charity’s web site, ROWW Is a “network of committed professionals with first responder skill-set,” that has “developed Standard Operating Procedures that facilitate arriving quickly, clearing access, providing basic necessities and medical assistance.”

Walker championed the nonprofit with much devotion and enthusiasm, often working “under the radar” when traveling on behalf of his organization and actively lending his services to areas in need.

Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Walker assembled a team of first responders and headed to the most devastated areas to deliver supplies and medical aid.

In that same year, Walker traveled with a team to Chile, delivering water and medical aid to tsunami victims.

Yet foreign countries alone were not the extent of Walker’s charitable outreach. Following the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Walker headed to the state and helped victims get back into their homes by running a chainsaw to clear debris.

Fellow colleagues in his charity observed that Walker preferred his anonymity when pursuing charity work, and never shied away from rolling up his sleeves and risk getting a little dirty to achieve productive results.

From the year if his charity’s inception to his very last living moment of earth, charity was the forefront of Walker’s mind.

Although many are saddened by Walker’s untimely passing, his legacy and his devotion to giving shall continue to live and prosper through his surviving charity.

Universal Studios recently announced that it shall donate profits accumulated from Fast and Furious 6 DVDs towards Walker’s charity organization- giving fans the chance to celebrate and honor both his work in film and philanthropy.

– Kaitlyn Boisvert

Sources: People, Moviepilot, LA Times
Photo: Real Big Faces

A Top Donor of Humanitarian Aid

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In 2012, Turkey surprised the world by giving more than $1bn in humanitarian aid, placing 4th on the list of the world’s top donors. Which countries find themselves on this list? The top three are the United States ($3.8bn), the European Union ($1.9bn) and the United Kingdom ($1.2bn). Despite Turkey’s economic crisis a few years ago, the country has managed to recover in record time, allocating a large budget for international humanitarian aid.

A sum of this aid has already been working for developing countries such as Somalia. Turkey’s aid program has promoted growth in a country displaced by war and hunger. Since the implementation of Turkey’s government assistance for Somalia there are new school buildings, several projects for rural villages underway and the possibility of new hospitals. Turkey has provided scholarships for students and have advised the Somalis every step of the way. Turkey has even provided a monthly budget of $4.5m per month of additional aid. Red Crescent, Turkey’s primary humanitarian organization has helped with this development throughout Somalia. They have built new health clinics, decontaminated water supplies and cleared trash to better the health of Samalis. Samali ambassadors have called Turkey, “a savior sent by God to Somalia.”

Now a year later, Turkey continues to offer aid. After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Phillipines, Turkey’s Red Crescent sent an Airbus cargo plane filled with tents, blankets and other vital supplies. In total they have given over 65 tons of aid items. Several of Turkey’s humanitarian aid organizations have also sent rescue teams, food packages and have begun work on aid campaigns.  To believe Turkey once received development assistance after its civil war and now contributes alongside superpowers is truly remarkable.

– Maybelline Martez

Sources: The Guardian, The Guardian Aid Effectiveness, World Policy, World Bulletin
Photo: Key Media

Typhoon Stirs Risk of Sexual Violence Against Women

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Protecting girls and women during emergencies is an essential part of humanitarian work. However, aid workers neglect protection and instead focus on other tasks such as saving lives, moving trucks, bringing in tents and distributing food. All necessary work, but protection measures also need to be established during emergencies.

Conflicts and natural disasters result in mass displacement, often leading to a breakdown in social structures. Through this breakdown women become more exposed than men to sexual violence.

Typhoon Haiyan has affected millions in the Philippines. According to the United Nations (UN) at least 4,200 people have been killed, 500,000 homes have been damaged, 3 million people have been displaced and a total of 9.8 million people have been affected by the typhoon. These numbers are devastating.

Additionally, thousands of women and girls have also been uniquely affected by this disaster. The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs estimates that 47,600 women between the ages of 15 and 49 affected by Typhoon Haiyan are at risk of sexual violence.

Currently, there is great efforts of protecting women and girls during conflicts. The UK government has especially been acknowledged for their efforts in addressing violence against women. Through The Department for International Development, the UK Government led talks for a new resolution on conflict prevention, resolution and peace-building. The UN Security Council has since passed this resolution. Additionally, through their Foreign and Commonwealth Office an initiative preventing sexual violence was launched in an effort to better prevent and respond to sexual violence during conflicts and prosecute perpetrators.

However, according to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women, more attention needs to be given to the practical responses to an emergency in order to protect women and girls.

Mlambo-Ngcuka, along with other aid leaders, suggests instituting several measures to assist the women and girls who are abused in this manner.

1. As refugees, these women and girls do not experience the same level of rights or access to necessary emotional and physical services. Policies need to be implemented that protect these women as refugees.

2. Well lit toilet blocks or water points need to be built close to where people live. As women and girls have higher visibility, the chances of being abused are diminished.

3. Women often look after orphans during a conflict. Resources need to be provided to these women, whose efforts are often overlooked by governments and local leaders.

4.  As sexual violence is prominent, women must have access to appropriate health services such as emergency contraception.

5. Cooking facilities need to be easily accessible, not requiring women to travel long distances into isolated areas in search of firewood.

6. Aid workers need to make sure that women have equal access to food vouchers during distribution. Often times the men get the vouchers, and then women are forced to compromise themselves to get the vouchers they need to provide food for their children.

7. Long-term support in the form of policies and programs is necessary to ensure the rights of these women and girls are upheld.

Lastly, Mlambo-Ngcuka states that the battle of combating violence against women will be won in countries where women engage and confront their governments, and where boys and men are supportive of protecting women.

– Caressa Kruth

Sources: The Guardian, NBC World News, IRIN News