The Philippines's Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo mentioned that the Philippines no longer need any foreign aid. This is in response to the country's mission to remove its dependency to foreign countries. She said that the country has already sufficient funds to assist the victims of natural disasters in the affected areas of the country. This means that it is no longer necessary for the country to beg to other foreign countries including organizations to render their help to provide humanitarian contributions tot he victims of natural disasters. Although it may seem controversial for the critics, this is one of the best solution to remove the culture of Filipinos from being dependent of foreign aid.
On October 19, 2016, the Philippines experienced a very strong natural disaster. After 3 years, a super typhoon hit the country, in particular to the main island of Luzon. Packing winds more than 220 kilometers per hour, the super typhoon ravaged the northern parts of Luzon island where the eye of the storm hit during its landfall in Cagayan province and traversed towards Apayao and Ilocos Norte provinces. The storm damaged numerous infrastructures and left more than dozens of fatalities across the affected provinces in the northern Philippines.
 |
| Department of Social Welfare Services Secretary Judy Taguiwalo on left together with President Rodrigo Duterte on right |
President Rodrigo Duterte emphasized to international communities that in his administration, he will start liberating the Philippines to maximize its own local resources. Dependency on foreign aid and assistance from international communities will be limited to start disciplining the Filipinos on how to manage their own problems. For this reason, the Philippines will start developing its own infrastructure and using its own wealth to rebuild its communities without the help of foreign assistance because corruption always starts from the donations given by international communities because local officials opted to use it for their personal affairs rather than using it for the needy.
However, the Philippines is still open if foreign communities insist on providing their assistance to the ingPhilippines. This is provided that there are no collateral exchanges for the donations given to the Filipino people. The Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary stated that the donations and assistance will be surely given directly to the affected residents of natural calamities such as the onslaught of super typhoon Haima. Foreign agencies will need not to worry in behalf of the Duterte administration because all their donations will be fully handed on without any risk for being kept by corrupt officials.
Watch the Damage of Super Typhoon Haima or Lawin
5 Reasons why the Philippines do not need Foreign aid
1. To prevent corruption: The Philippines is firm on its ideology to stop any suspicious activities that could lead to corruption allegations. Duterte administration wants to ensure that the Philippines will be a corrupt free and will never allow past allegations of corruption to prevail in the future. Corruption is the most utilized form of white collar crime because it involves money laundering activities. This is made by corrupt officials who always deposit donations directly to their personal bank accounts and will never materialize any future donations for the purpose of self-fulfillment.
2. The Philippines has its own monetary reserves: The Philippine government is now enjoying itself from the influx of investments that are benefiting the country's economic gains. The investments generated from various businesses in both local and international organizations helps the country to earn more savings that are intended to provide emergency services for the needy. One example is the emergency funds allocated for any communities that are affected by atrocities, natural calamities, and manmade disasters.
3. The Philippines has the facility to render rescue mission and providing humanitarian assistance: Aside from the monetary capacity of the Philippines, there is an existing equipment available to offer rescue mission services to affected areas brought about by natural disasters. Some of these facilities are large land vehicles that can clear any debris blocked by rocks, mud, or manmade structures. Air vehicles such as C130 planes, helicopters, and passenger jet carriers are capable of rescuing and transporting affected households and family members from the disaster area.
4. Promote discipline as a new Filipino culture: The Philippines has been dependent on international assistance by means of always expecting foreigners to donate by offering financial and humanitarian donations. This has been the culture that the Philippine government wants to eradicate because it only makes a certain behavior to always dependent from the expense of others. The new discipline is through independence, in which the government of the Philippines wants Filipinos to develop a sense of having the initiative to help themselves without the assistance or support of others.
5. Increase local responders: The Philippines does not need foreign aid from other countries because the country is already industrialized. The government wants to mobilize residents to become volunteers, which increases the number of local responders to provide rescue mission to the affected areas and not by just waiting for foreign rescuers to blend with the local government units. Most households across the country are now becoming middle-income residents, which are already capable of providing humanitarian assistance with their fellow Filipinos to affected parts, which does not need international intervention.
Do you still believe that the Philippines is indeed financially and technically capable enough to provide local and national humanitarian mission successfully?
