CHICAGO (FAXX/jGLi) – As President Obama encouraged Wednesday (Nov. 13) “Americans, who want to help our Filipino friends,” who survived super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), his Department of Justice, the FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) warned the “public that there is a potential for disaster fraud in the aftermath of a natural disaster.”
Meanwhile, it was reported that money raised by a group of Filipino Americans in Chicago, Illinois that started Monday (Nov. 11) will be turned over to the American Red Cross.
The group also collected hundreds if not thousands of boxes of food, medicines and other survival equipments that are now being loaded into containers that will eventually be shipped aboard C-130 Friday bound for the Philippines.
Rose Tibayan, one of the six organizers of the fund-raising activity that started Monday and turned it into a massive fund-raising effort, said her group is still awaiting word from the Philippine government when C-130 will get cleared for landing in the Philippines.
Shortly after placing a phone call to President Aquino Tuesday (Nov. 12) to express “our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of the Philippines as they mourn so many loved ones and neighbors lost in the awful destruction of Typhoon Haiyan,” President Obama said, “Our support is rooted in the compassion and generosity of the American people who, time and again, have stepped up and helped those in need around the world. Today, I encourage Americans who want to help our Filipino friends to visit whitehouse.gov/typhoon, which offers links to organizations working in the Philippines and ways to support their efforts. With so many families and communities in the Philippines in urgent need of food, water, shelter and medicine, even small contributions can make a big difference and help save lives.
NCDF HOTLINE 866-720-5721
The White House also released a press statement that anybody, who suspects fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts associated with Typhoon Haiyan, should report to the toll-free NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721. The hotline is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the purpose of reporting suspected scams being perpetrated by criminals in the aftermath of disasters.
NCDF was originally established in 2005 by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute and deter fraud associated with federal disaster relief programs following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud related to any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies – including the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service – participate in the NCDF, allowing the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
In the wake of natural disasters, many individuals feel moved to contribute to victim assistance programs and organizations across the country. The Department of Justice and the FBI remind the public to apply a critical eye and conduct due diligence before giving to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of hurricane victims. Solicitations can originate as emails, websites, door-to-door collections, mailings, telephone calls and similar methods.
CERTAIN GUIDELINES BEFORE DONATING
Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including the following:
• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming emails, including by clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.
• Be cautious of individuals representing themselves as victims or officials asking for donations via email or social networking sites.
• Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
• Rather than following a purported link to a website, verify the existence and legitimacy of non-profit organizations by using Internet-based resources.
• Be cautious of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, because those files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure that contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make donations directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use coercive tactics.
• Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
• Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by debit or credit card, or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
• Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services.
• Most legitimate charities maintain websites ending in .org rather than .com.
If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud by a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, contact the NCDF by phone at (866) 720-5721, fax at (225) 334-4707 or email at disaster@leo.gov.
You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
RESILIENCE AND FAITH OF FILIPINO PEOPLE
Mr. Obama said, recovering from one of the strongest storms ever recorded will take years. But the strength, resilience and faith of the Filipino people are legendary, and the areas affected by this storm are some of the same places where Americans and Filipinos sacrificed together to liberate the Philippines during World War II. Today, our message to our Filipino allies is that we stand with you once more. In the difficult days ahead, we’ll do our part to help you recover. And as you rebuild from this terrible storm, you will continue to have a friend and partner in the United States of America.
The Philippine Consulate General announced that it would open a condolence book for public officials, members of the consular corps, the Filipino community and the general public to express their sympathy and solidarity with the Philippines, which is under a state of national calamity after being severely damaged by super typhoon Haiyan.
The condolence book will be open for U.S. government officials and the Chicago consular corps on Thursday and Friday, 14-15 November 2013, 10:00AM – 12:00PM and 1:00PM – 3:00PM. The Consulate is located at 122 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 1600, Chicago, IL.
The Philippine Consulate General also offered a minute of silence at the start of the workweek after the Veterans Day weekend to pray for and remember the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan that devastated the central Philippines last Friday.
CONSULAR EMPLOYEES CITED
The Consulate also paid tribute to Ms. Aileen Labita, a colleague from the Department of Foreign Affairs assigned to the Regional Consular Office in Tacloban City in Leyte, who lost her life. Her minor child and mother were likewise claimed by the strongest typhoon that hit the country in recent memory.
Ms. Jasmin Rodriguez, another employee, described her own family’s survival as nothing less than a miracle. “Nakakatakot po pinagdaanan namin. Sa kisame lang kami at lampas tao iyong tubig. Lumipad na iyong bubungan namin at nag float lang iyong bed, dun kami sumampa lahat at umakyat sa kisame. Nag-chill na kami at nung tumagal pa nakapag rescue iyong neighbor namin at sa rooftop kami dumaan at tumawid sa tubig dagat. Nakakatakot po.” (What we went through was horrifying. We holed up in the ceiling as the flood rose high above our heads. The roof of our house had been blown away, and when the bed floated on the water we used it to reach the ceiling. We were shivering from the cold when a neighbor came to rescue us. We had to traverse the rooftop and cross the onrushing seawater. It was really terrifying.)
Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim conveyed the Filipino people’s appreciation to U.S. government officials in Illinois who came out with their expressions of sympathy and support for the grieving nation in the aftermath of super typhoon Haiyan.
Governor Pat Quinn last Friday said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Philippines and their loved ones here in Illinois as Super Typhoon Haiyan churns across Southeast Asia,” adding that, “we stand ready to assist in any way possible.”
In his official website, Senator Dick Durbin said, “The aftermath of the storm is of special concern for members of the large Filipino-American community in the Chicago area who are worried about family and friends. My thoughts are with the many families who have loved ones affected by this catastrophic storm.”
Senator Mark Kirk’s tweet yesterday asked followers to keep the people of the Philippines in their thoughts and prayers. He also thanked the Red Cross and the Pacific Command for supporting Haiyan relief efforts.
On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel approached Consul General Herrera-Lim at Veterans Day celebration in Chicago to express his sympathy and support for the Philippines and the Filipino community in Chicago.
The Consulate last Friday issued an appeal for solidarity, and donations from the Filipino-American community, as well as Chicago-based charity organizations and companies, quickly began to pour in to assist the Philippines in coping with the tragic disaster, which has claimed so many lives and inflicted massive damage to infrastructure, property and livelihood of millions of Filipinos. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)