PHILIPPINE’S TYPHOON SURVIVORS WASTING MONEY ON LIQUOR?

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. 

“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