Senator Dick Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) is now under heavy fire on Facebook. Stories are going around on how his staff or the production people decided to delay giving away the relief goods because he wasn’t there yet and hasn’t delivered his speech. This was narrated by a certain Martin Cervantes who was a volunteer for the PNRC in one of the Bayanihan operations on September 30, 2009.
Here’s the blog entry for your perusal:
To think the deluge of volunteerism support and the “Bayanihan” spirit of the Filipino has somewhat made me believe that this country is indeed worth figthing for, someone destroys it for me. Here’s my story…. On September 30, 2009, our company decided to volunteer with various efforts around the Metro as a genuine act of helping out those who have been ravaged by Typhoon Ondoy. I was placed under the group to support the mission of the Philippine Red Cross in Quezon City. Call time was at 8 am sharp and we got to the Evacuation center by Novaliches at around 10 am. As we were briefed what to do, we also initiated a system to keep things in order because of the number of people. At around 10:45 we were ready and so was everyone else because they’ve been there since the early part of the morning but we were informed by one of the PRC staff on site, we couldn’t give out the goods yet because “protocol” dictates that the PRC chair….Mr. Dick Gordon was going to visit and deliver some sort of speech or at least hand out the goods. We were infomed by a certain Ms. Torres that this was how it goes…we reasoned out with her that the people were lined up already and OBVIOUSLY hungry waiting for so many hours as it was. We also asked if the goods were from MR. GORDON and we were told it was donations to the Red Cross. So we kinda hinted ….we can give it then! But wait we did, by around noon, no word from the DICK and people were getting rowdy saying “Ibigay nyo na! (Give it already!) The number of people was increasing and we knew the goods provided to us would be gone in an instant. It was only a small container van of Air 21 that housed the goods and I’d approximate there were at least a 1,000 people on site.
At this point, my fellow colleagues were exasperated at what was going on. WE COULD STAY THERE the whole day to help out and make sure the people there would at least be spared from any further hurt (if losing a house wasn’t hurtful enough) by doing something significant, instead we were made to wait doing nothing just because someone wanted to use the program for his political gain. I mean, the bag only contained rice, canned goods and noodles…would it be so DIFFICULT to give this away already??!!! We were wearing our company shirts…so it looked like WE WERE THE ONES DELAYING the damn operation.
The Barangay Captain got a hold of the mic and told the people “Maswerte tayo na tayo ang pinuntahang Barangay, hinihintay lang natin ang mga panauhin natin, kaya’t wag kayong mag tampo” (We’re lucky to be the Barangay that will be visited, we’re just waiting for our guests, so don’t fret).
At almost 2 pm, I don’t know what happened but the Brgy. Captain suddenly asked all Senior citizens and pregnant women to make a new line (from the original lines) and then he started to instruct us to give out the goods…and that’s when all hell broke loose. Obviously the people in the original line weren’t too happy with the situation…even if…the idea was noble.
In the end, the stubs to claim the relief goods were more than the relief goods themselves…and I could see a lot of upset people at what had just happened….oh and the clincher of it all…..DICK MOTHER(*@#$!%^) GORDON DID NOT SHOW UP. He wanted this obviously to be a POLITICAL event for him and then decided that maybe it wasn’t worth showing up for after all.
I can’t believe that a time like this when ORDINARY people are coming together, POLITICIANS REMAIN THE SAME…AND I can only PRAY MR. GORDON that you be granted some sort of WISDOM (OR BALLS) to DECIDE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. Don’t go on making PROTOCOLS that are STUPID AND INANE especially in times like this….people have lost their loved ones, their houses, basically everything they have and you still have the GALL to use this to YOUR Advantage.
Believe me, if you ever run for office, I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR YOU and I hope everyone who sees this blog does the same thing. It’s funny a week ago on ANC you told viewers that the reason why we’re in a rut is because our government does not have a CLEAR SYSTEM….so please EXPOUND to me how your PROTOCOL of overseeing the distribution of relief goods was more of SYSTEM rather than a POLITICAL STUNT.
DICK. I honestly believe your name suits you quite well.
And here’s a conversation on Facebook as posted by Manolo Quezon:
Senator Gordon, you should address this matter ASAP. I have high respect for you since your starting days as a Mayor but this is just too much to take. I heard that your guesting on Boys Night Out tonight on Magic 89.9FM. Maybe you can answer this allegation on air?
UPDATE (1): I posted this article on the Facebook wall of Magic 89.9FM and I also sent an e-mail to the DJ’s. Senator Gordon gave a statement on air and explained what happened. Let me quote my good friend Kevin who was able to hear Senator Gordon on the radio:
He’s on BNO RIGHT NOW. He explained what happened was that the barangay told the people to ‘wait for the Senator’ and it was not his order. He was stuck on traffic so instead of 6 places, 4 places lang napuntahan nya.
Hopefully this won’t happen again. Also, someone should call the attention of the organizers. We need a more organized approach to the relief operations.
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wow… this is sad….
Dick is in dick shit.
Hindi ako naniniwala sa paliwanag ni Gordon. Pulitiko talaga yan! Ginagamit niya ang Red Cross para gawing tungtungan para sa kanyang pagtakbo ng pagka-presidente. Binago niya ang saligang batas ng Red Cross para manatili bilang presidente. Dapart bumaba na siya pero ayaw niya. Lahat ng mga tao niya, nariyan na sa Red Cross. Tanungin ninyo sa media kung sino si Gwendolyn sa buhay ng ating mahal na Senador!
We have been working with the Red Cross since this disaster started. Believe me, it’s not Gordon who wants to be photographed, it’s the donors! They only want to give it to Gordon so he has no choice but to comply. The Donors (especially corporate ones want their brownie points too) – can’t blame them I guess but please don’t blame Gordon. He’s got the best-run organization in the country
I think it is just as likely that what happened was not Dick’s fault, but that of the organizers. It is very traditionally Filipino to be fans of protocol (without regard for propriety) especially when they hear a famous personality is coming to town. Doesn’t make what happened excusable, though.
Bantayan po natin ang mga tulong na hinihingi ng Pamahalaang Arroyo sa United Nations at sa iba’t ibang bansa para sa mga nasalanta ng Bagyong Ondoy.
Huwag po nating pabayaang magamit ito ng Administrasyong Arroyo sa darating na 2010 Eleksiyon.
Ginagamit ng Administrasyong Arroyo ang mga naging biktima ng Bagyong Ondoy para makapangalap ng pondo sa mga bansang miyembro ng United Nations.
Nasaan ang BILYON BILYONG CALAMITY FUND ng Pamahalaan???
BANTAYAN!!!
Wow. You guys are so gullible. Just bec. he/she said you already believe it. Then, blame/flame the person without even hearing his side. Mga Pinoy talaga. Kaya nde umaasenso ang pinas. Pagdating sa sisihan napakagaling nyo. Have you ever look in the mirror? Feeling nyo you are too good and smart. Please stop pointing fingers. If you really wanna help, stop F*ing complaining!
I agree with you Marcial. The government certainly has calamity funds and where the hell did it go?
Much like what happened here in the Bicol region during typhoon Reming, I think foreign aid reached billions but where did it go?
Minsan naiisip ko kung tama ba na prinomote ko pa yung Xoom donation to Red Cross sa blog ko. Baka di naman nakakarating sa mga tao yung donations.
If the allegation is true or not, wala syang karapatan magpaVIP dahil hindi sa kanya galing yung pera. Sa mga taong may mabubuting loob galing yun. Perang pinaghirapan.
Huwag naman sanang masayang efforts ng mga bloggers and mga donors! Baka mapunta pa sa korapsyon!
Kabilib bilib ang istorya kaya ganun. Gullible? I don’t think so. Ikaw ang GULLIBLE. Ikaw ang manalamin.
nuff said, I think pumapalag na yung tuta ni Gordon… Crab mentality?
Hindi mo yata naiintindihan ang sinasabi mo, kung may utak talangka man dun sa sitwasyon na yun, si Gordon yun, dahil cause of delay sya, at hinihila nya pababa ang mabuting pangalan ng Red Cross.
Kung naiintindihan nya ang tunay na adhikain ng paninilbihan sa kapwa, lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad, Hindi sya gagawa ng bagay na ika-a antala ng operasayon, unawain nya ang kalagayan at pinagdaanan nung mga nasalanta, hindi nila ginusto yun at walang may gusto na pumila at iasa sa iba ang kapakanan nila.
Sa 2010 po natin malalaman ang lahat. Kung ang sitwasyon nga ba ay totoong ginagamit lamang ng mga mandarambong. Doon natin mapapatunayan kung ang pagtulong na ginagawa ng iba ngayon ay bukal sa puso at hindi pamumulitika. Pero tama si Ronald, wala sya karapatan magpa VIP lalo na sa panahong ito. Pag naghangad sya ng mas mataas na posisyon, siguro nga ay totoo ang lahat ng alegasyon.
Let us confirm the allegation first before we draw any conclusions. In the mean time, let us not waste time in rumor mongering. If any of you do not like Gordon, it is still not a reason not to help. Dick Gordon is not the Red Cross.
I received a message from the original author apologizing for the fiasco that he has created.
I am taking down my blog post.!
well sure, we havent heard his side of the story, but for now, DICK is a PRICK!
there were a lot of people who got dizzy and almost fainted coz people haven’t eatten and been waiting in line since early morning. people were already booing us volunteers coz they actually thought that it was our decision to keep them waiting. people were begging us to just give them the goods so they can go cook food to eat. we really tried to talk to Gordon’s people so they’d allow us to give out the food but they won’t let us.
when the brgy capitan got there he was telling the people to “MAGTIIS MUNA HABANG INAANTAY NATIN YUN BISITA NATIN. TUTAL SANAY NAMAN TYO MAGTIIS. PAG DATING NYA SIGAW NATIN, GORDON GORDON GORDON” WTH! then he went on with his pagpupulitika together with this other politician they call The Cop or something like that.
the project is to help out victims and it’s sad that people always take advatage for their personal (political) agenda. the goods were there. the volunteers were there. people are STARVING. why did the victims have to wait for GORDON? first thing they need is to be fed and not to stand under the heat of the sun starving to listen to these damn politicians’ speeches and wait for GORDON.
Please take this down, I have already issued an apology for this. Sorry for the hassle.
Thank you
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&suggest¬e_id=170928161030
I copied the apology he posted.
ALL APOLOGIES (SUPPORT THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS)
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Yesterday at 11:14pm
If you can read this, then you’re probably my friend but I’m leaving this to become public.
I recently wrote a blog that well I kind of regret writing because I was thinking out of frustration at a situation in a RELIEF effort. I realized after all the mudslinging, the original point of the blog was to inform how things are going and not to create negativity and malign individuals. The pictures posted were of course done stupidly in Jest.
If you have a copy of my blog that I originally placed, please take it down for EVERYONE’S well being.
I am TRULY SORRY IF there were names dragged to the picture and of course once again I humbly accept any consequences that come out of it.
Typhoon Ondoy has brought out the BEST and worst in the Filipino but I believe the bigger picture was that it UNITED A NATION that has gone through so much. Maybe my blog was a reflection of how things go and how we shouldn’t jump the gun either.
At this point….I’d just like to MOVE On…especially since there’s another typhoon on its way that I’m praying will spare our country because we don’t deserve this. We are a Faithful people and I know God will provide.
Once again, I am sincerely sorry for the whole fiasco, it was not my intention to present it that way. Thank you and God bless us all.
kung gusto niyo ng iba pang point of view sa nangyari noong araw na iyon, puwede niyong basahin ito:
http://introbert.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/kahapong-nagvolunteer-ako-sa-red-cross/
naranasan ko iyong mga pangyayaring kinuwento rito hanggang doon sa elementary school. san gabriel ang pangalan nung school. sa may brgy. sta. lucia ata iyon.
MAJOR cover-up! Ano ba yan?! Ang daming mga kalokohang rason!! Relief goods are relief goods THEY SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED!! Wala ng pagwapo in times likes these!! Kung inaakusang oportunista ang mga baranggay official – dito si DICK ang pinakamalaking opportunista!!!
This is why the country is stagnant. Too many opportunist, power hungry people!! Kelangan pabanguhin ang pangalan for what? PARA SA KICK-BACK!!
Cut the guy some slack. There is a system in place, we should follow protocol. Otherwise, people in the Philippines wont have drive. Its in our system so live with it guys.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Frex84.multiply.com%2Fjournal%2Fitem%2F39%2FONDOY_Show_time&h=7db5b28f0e263aeb5b554d63d05769b6
Maaring nag-apologize na yun original author ng blog post na yan – pero sa totoo lang meron syang punto.
At kung mapapansin nyo, marami-raming kwentong ganyan na umiikot ngayon. Hindi pwedeng “misunderstanding” lang ang nangyari kung madaming anecdotal evidence mula sa mga iba’t ibang tao sa iba’t ibang lugar.
Nakakalungkot. Sana man lang ay dahil sa mga kwentong ito ay malutas na at matulungan na ang mga taong kailangan ng tulong.
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Ah basta.. Power tripping!
aminin nalang kasi ang kasalanan eh!!
haha ulol niya. madaming tumutulong na hindi pa nakakarating sa mga evacuation centers. there are some who decided to spend their debuts and other things to buy relief goods for ondoy victims. i bet he wouldn’t give a fuck if he wasn’t a politician.
i suggest to you (defenders of Gordon) to try volunteering in a relief op where the affected people line up to get goods and you talk to them to wait a little more because someone is coming. but they wait for hours for nothing or just so a big person/persons can have his/her/their pictures taken and then just leave.
have you looked at most of PNRC’s facilities? Why is Gordon’s name on them? Do you guys know about the Red Cross principles? Try to see if he has not violated any of the 7.
he might have done a lot of things but he should not have done a lot of things as well. im rethinking, would that make everything zero?
Honestly,if i was there as a victim or as a volunteer, seeing my kababayan suffering and the whole situation,i will take the initiative to talk directly to senator Gordon,if the brgy captain can’t decide for his own. The senator’s phone number was published over diff media outlets so no reason not to reach him and verify or explain or ask for permission to start the releasing of goods. I will not allow anybody to waste my time and effort going there and see the whole situation.
Your comments are interesting! All have good points to be considered well. Only one thing I dislike, not because I’m pro-Gordon, some of you have already blamed the guy without getting his explanation. It’s too easy to fix the blame on someone. But I think, this venue is not a smart one to mudsling on someone who can’t defend himself. Despite what had happened during the dole out of the relief goods, we don’t have the right to accuse anybody and taint his reputation that he’s only using his position as pnrc chairman to his advantage. The guy has been serving the people (countless) through red cross several decades past. Until now, he’s been doing it–and he has done something very useful. No need for us to fool each other coz we can clearly see the facts if we only look for them impartially and unbias.
I respect the guy. He’s one hell and heaven of a leader! No one is perfect. But if there is someone I look up to and respect and deem our country really need to govern us efficiently–it is him I greatly consider. If you don’t believe in his cause, you can make way to make a difference relying on your own efforts. After all, what is important here is all of us must share efforts and help even in small way to take care of our less fortunate brothers. Just don’t step on other’s people reputation by pulling them down and tainting their motives. After all, we’re just humans. We’re not God who can fathom everyone’s thoughts. Just be considerate and respectful of one another.
I am not a Dick Gordon for president supporter but give the man a break. The problem was with the people distributing the relief goods, thinking that they had to wait for Senator Gordon — or the system in place for the distribution of relief goods itself or the lack of it.
What worries me about this incident is that there were so many there who should have known better but no one showed any initiative.
Even the barangay captain was such a dummy, thinking they were fortunate to have been selected and asking for another line after many were waiting for hours. And all the people could do was blame Dick Gordon, whose track record as the Philippine Red Cross chairman is unparalleled.
Maybe you guys don’t remember but he was first to rescue people during the 1990 earthquake that hit Baguio and other places in Luzon and he was not doing it for the publicity, because, I suspect, that deep inside, Dick Gordon thinks he’s a boy scout.
I admire the man’s passion, I admire his brain. He says we do not need a change of men, but a change in men — and he’s right. So enough rumor mongering and forming opinions based on rumor. Better to start thinking of how we can help our neighbors, calamity or no calamity.
Why are you guys constantly blaming Richard Gordon for the things he does to help the poor, he never seems to be doing enough but compare it to the corrupt people we’ve put in power. Think before you speak
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People are quick to judge – they easily believe on he said/she said – as if naman lahat sila gumagalaw para tulungan ang bayan nilang sadlak sa dusa…stop complaining, instead, gumalaw kayo para may mangyari sa Inang Bayan! kikitid ng mga utak nyo, puro kaya satsat, kulang kayo sa gawa!!
and to Mr. Ople, before ka magpost, make sure na ikaw mismo may batayan – the next time you write and publish your thoughts, make sure na kaya mong panindigan, at hindi dahl napulot mo lang sa kung san blog….parang walng pinagkaiba ito sa showbiz – pure hearsay, pure chismis!!!
Si GORDON ang ideal na Chief Executive ng AFP dahil Red-Cross iyan, therefore peace advocate iyan, at maaring maging genuine ang approach niya sa matagal nang Mindanao problem… Read more at http://petalcorin.blogspot.com/search/label/Richard%20Gordon
its sad but true, he is using the organization, its like martial law here on PRC, (phil red cross)
I have very little (if any) respect for Gordon’s Dick. I remember him swaggering, leading a pack of misfit Marcos loyalist “Mayors” (one of which was ERAP) in a march vs. then Pres. AQUINO after she installed OIC’s temporarily.
What a DICK!
Hope this is not a demolition write up against Gordon? But looks like believable considering that the good senator is trumpetting his Red Cross position. Sana hindi ito totoo..nakakawalang respeto ito sa kinauukulan at nakakahiya sa Red Cross Int’l.
i just want to ask if it’s true that the blogger apologized to dick gordon. gordon claimed that he did. how true is this?
ang rason ni dick eh…
na t-r-a-f-f-i-c “daw” siya.
sigurado may tao siyang point of contact sa relief operation center na yan…
so as
a GOOD LEADER
he SHOULD HAVE the ANTICIPATION
of what is the conditions in such relief operation centers… of how long he will be stucked in his so-called traffic situtation.
dapat kinontak na nya agad yung contact person niya and as a STRONG LEADER he should INSISTED na IPAMAHAGI NA ANG RELIEF GOODS EVEN IF THE ORGANIZERS WANT HIM TO COME BECAUSE DICK IS IN SUCH “TRAFFIC” WHICH ENDED IN A NO SHOW.
What a DICK-Head.
mr dick gordon already responded to this issue(somewhere in youtube), he said he never even wanted to be shown in public or to be taken pictures at, pictures are for documentation purposes only, he said, the mr gordon has been in the red cross half his life, why would this issue out of a sudden just come out now, and during this campaign season. tsk thats a pretty elaborate lie he has there, pathetic… and yes i am a red cross youth volunteer. VOTE GORDON FOR PRESIDENT, BAYANI FOR VICE PRESIDENT
I agree with you saiha… half of Gordons life….. nasa Red Cross sya…. Gusto lang ng mga taong sirain si Gordon dahil malakas siya…. Gordon is the most qualified Presidentiable…. Pati ibang bansa nga bilib sa kanya ehhh… buti pa yung ibang bansa… nakikita yung mga ginagawa niya…. tapos mismong mga kababayan niyang Pilipino, hindi…
Well, para sakin…. magaling talaga siya… SUBOK NA AT HINDI NA KAILANGAN PATUNAYAN…
P.S. malakas talaga siya… Akala nyo lang hindi, dahil sa mga salot sa Surveys…..
@ NO TO DICKHEAD..
YOU ARE THE DICK HEAD…
HES NAME IS DICK GORDON….OUR FUTURE PRESIDENT..
BAWAL na mga katulad mo AFTER MAY ELECTIONS…
GO GORDON ~!
NORMAL LANG NMAN NA NANGYAYARI YAN PAMINSAN MINSAN.MAARING MAY NAPAKAHALAGA LANG NA INASIKASO SI SENATOR GORDON NUNG TIME NA YUN. WALA NMANG PERFECT NA TAO E.SANA WAG MO SYANG SIRAAN SA MGA TAO.MAHUSAY SYA ALAM MO YAN. SANA PALAMPASIN MO NLANG YAN AND I THINK MAY PALIWANAG NMAN SYA SA NANGYARI.
what do we expect from a traditional politican? kelangan mag speech muna bago mag abot ng relief. kelangan dami picture sa dyaryo para isipin ng tao sila ang tumutulong. haizzz…
mabuti na lang natraffic.
tama na sa traditional politicians.
ang galing nating magsalita kung anong tama at anong dapat ginawa nya wala naman tayong ginagawa para umunlad bansa natin eh.. dada lang tau nang dada walang action..let’s start change within ourselves guys jan lang natin maaachieve ang gusto nating improvement nang pinas..
pagkakamali ng kapitan yan. yun lang yun. pinalaki lang isyu.
Sa dami ng natulungan as a Red Cross Volunteer for more than 40 yrs, inilampaso ang karangalan at prinsipyo ni Ginoong Gordon sa lamutak ng dumi ng baboy na para bang ginamit nya nang mali ang lahat ng ibinigay sa kanya ng Poong Maykapal….
Bakit ang ikinu-kwento nyo ay ang mali na nagawa? Sigurado ba kayo na sya talaga ang may sala?
Matapos ilampaso sa putikang ebak eh iwinawagayway ng may akda ang kanyang paghingi ng dispensa? Bugbog sarado, sugatan at mabaho, saka ka hihingi ng paumanhin? Wow, ang kapal din ano?
Sino ang may kredibilidad? Ang nanunuligsa o si Ginoong Gordon?
Kabayan, nakarating ka na ba sa Subic? Nadama mo ba na Pilipinas pa rin iyon? O nadama mo ang kaibahan?
Gusto kong lumawig pa ang PAGBABAGONG POSITIBO… KINA GINOONG GORDON-BAYANI ANG BOTO KO.
I’ve been bumping into different articles, debates and forum concerning this year’s presidential candidates. Finally came up with a decision. Dick Gordon will have my vote. Forget about the surveys. Forget about their personal issues (everyone has). I just want to see this country prosper. And if he does not make it, I will always be proud that I took effort in knowing all the candidates and listening to what they had to say prior to making the decision, and not letting other people take control of my vote.
If someone here supports the Dick Gordon-Bayani Fernando tandem reads this, he might need to change his preference.
People…
So finally you found a needle on a heap of hay.
Try to consider the good things, the answer is there.
47 years as a Red Cross volunteer, can you imagine his contributions?
Have you yourself done a humanitarian act to your country?
Have you considered his contributions
as mayor, con-con delegate, tourism secretary, senator, sbma chairman etc…
Have you considered the $787billion he solicited for our WWII veterans?
The bills he sponsored.
The 200k jobs created at subic
Have you considered his sacrifices during those calamities attending to those in need while others are enjoying life in their mansion.
Nobody is super human, you can’t be at 2 places at the same time.
Sen. Richard Gordon is a symbol of humanitarian leadership wherever, whenever, whoever you are always ready for you and me.