Oplan Hatid Ends Due to Turf War

As reported and published on ABS-CBNNews.com it looks like OPLAN HATID over at Villamor Airbase will be closing shop.

Photo Credit: oplanhatid.teleserv.ph

I really don't get why there would even be turf war when it comes to helping out other people. The article recounts from the organizers of "Oplan Hatid" how it is frustrating on their part to be caught in the middle of two factions.

For a better grasp, the two groups that are suddenly cast into the limelight in this fiasco (is that a hard word to take?) are the people from DSWD and the 'ladies' from Villamor Airbase. To quote the article:

"The DSWD is technically the one who should be in charge, but since Villamor is the home of the Air Force, the ladies simply would not want to be overshadowed," he said.

By the term ladies, Ocampo may be referring to association of wives of the ranking officials of the PAF.

As for the Typhoon Yolanda survivors who have been staying at the airbase, they will be driven to Camp Aguinaldo which is really sad and all because they too are victims of the circumstance. This type of shit is why the Philippines never rises up to become a first world country despite our capability and vast amount of potential to do so.

Also James Deakin shared this last night on his Facebook timeline:

"ATTENTION ALL #OPLANHATID volunteers. Please bear with me, but this is my final announcement. Share to your heart's content.

It took me about an hour to write this very short post but that was mostly because I had to keep going back to tone down the language. So as unemotionally as I can say it, here it is:

As of 12pm tomorrow, we are being kicked out of Villamor. Yes, all of us. We’re being shut down. Not just Oplan Hatid, but the entire relief effort, I’m told. I’m too upset to get into details, but in a nutshell, as of 12pm tomorrow, ALL evacuees will be transferred by government bus to Aguinaldo. What they plan for them there, I do not know. Nobody does. All I know is that they don’t need our help. The government, that is, not the survivors.

The only quote I got was: “The public should not be asking the local government to help in this time, but the other way around.”

Well, sirs, we tried. We really, really, did. There’s so much I would like to say right now, but I will hold back.

So to my good friends that donated tents, sound systems, food, drinks, tables, chairs and the like, Villamor require you to be out by noon. I wish I could have called you each individually, but there;s just too many of you that have been so selfless here that I just wanted to make sure you get all your stuff back.

To the angels who committed food and support, please cancel your orders. You’re welcome to send it to Aguinaldo but I have no idea who to talk to there. Bahala na si batman.

To those delivering the tarps and other supplies, let’s talk privately. People still need that. Let’s not let politics get in the way.

I will try and contact each of you privately to coordinate pull out, but for now, as they love to say in higher management, please be advised accordingly.

God bless the Philippines"