LBC Saipan branch manager Val Gatchalian yesterday said 200 boxes were “stranded” at their main office in the states.
Last week, LBC Saipan shipped 22 boxes of relief goods collected by the United Filipino Organizations.
Five other boxes remain on Saipan and LBC has yet to inform UFO if it will ship them for free, according to the group’s president, Olive Yana.
A day after shipping the 22 boxes, Gatchalian said he received a notice from their main office that Philippine Consul General Marciano A. Paynor Jr. in San Francisco had disallowed LBC from sending the relief goods directly to the Sagip Kapamilya-ABS-CBN Foundation.
Citing Philippine law, Paynor told LBC San Francisco that “used clothing as donations is prohibited under Republic Act No. 4653, thus the Bureau of Customs can seize/apprehend said importation.”
Paynor said “donations in kind (except used clothing) shall be exempted from custom duties and taxes provided that these are directly addressed to the [Philippine] Department of Social Welfare and Development.”
In a statement, LBC apologized to all individuals and organizations that have shown their solidarity to the typhoon victims.
“We understand and appreciate how much time and effort were spent by Filipinos in the U.S. to gather these donations of used clothing. We are all heroes to [the] victims. Unfortunately, we need to follow the law and the directive from Malacañang,” said Hugo Bonilla, LBC USA president and chief executive officer.
Malacañang is the presidential palace in Manila.
Ronnie Doca of the Pilipino Contract Workers and United Workers Movement NMI said his group will seek the assistance of the Philippine consul general on Saipan, Medardo Macaraig.
“Why are they giving us a hard time? These relief goods are for the victims,” Doca said.
Pilcowa and United Workers Movement have collected thousands of new clothes, blankets, caps, pants and tote bags from Island Apparel.
Rabby Syed, the United Workers Movement president, said they will coordinate with other Filipino organizations conducting relief operations regarding the shipment of the donations.
During their fund drive, Syed said they collected $841 on Friday and Saturday.
UFO, for its part, was able to collect $1,072 from its affiliated groups and an additional $1,000 from the Saipan Simbang Gabi Group, Yana said.
UFO is also expecting to collect more funds on Wednesday from community members who have pledged to donate cash.
