MANILA - The Philippines’ experience with
Typhoon Haiyan not only exposed the country’s vulnerability to extreme
weather events but likewise its dependency on foreign assistance, a
bishop has said.
Bishop Crispin Varquez of the
Diocese of Borongan said in an article published by the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, that in their particular area in
Central Philippines’ Samar, the influx of assistance in response to the
devastation brought about by Haiyan (locally named “Yolanda”) was very
much welcomed. However, he said that sixteen months after the disaster,
the continued assistance had made some locals dependent on aid.
“They are just waiting for
the assistance given by the government, international and local
nongovernment organisations, and other groups,” according to Varquez.
Many people, particularly
those in the villages, would rather not work their land since their
families would still have food to eat anyway because of the aid
assistance, he said.
Many people, particularly
those in the villages, would rather not work their land since their
families would still have food to eat anyway because of the aid
assistance, he said.
“They have no more appetite” to plant on their farms, he said.
But a deeper concern of the
bishop is that given that the affected families are already relying on
assistance, some of them are even squandering the help given to them by
spending their money instead on buying liquor.
He said that after the typhoon struck, there were now more people who could afford to purchase liquor than before the disaster.
Source: gulfnews
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