A local non-government aid network urged donors to course financial assistance for typhoon victims through civil society organizations (CSOs following allegations of rampant corruption in government and past irregularities in the aid process.

AidWatch Philippines, convened by research group Ibon Foundation, said that instead of coursing aid for relief assistance through government channels, “they (donors) should help strengthen the role of community-based CSOs.”

Aidwatch said CSOs have the capacity, commitment, and effectiveness in providing disaster relief.

Ibon research head Sonny Africa asked the government to exercise transparency in how aid for disaster relief given by donor-governments was spent.

Africa said that transparency is needed in the face of the administration’s apparent lack of disaster preparedness and response when tropical storm Ondoy hit Luzon last month.

Africa noted that the Philippine government for instance received Official Development Assistance (ODA) of almost $1 million in 2006 for reconstruction relief and rehabilitation.

“Given the allegations of rampant corruption in government and past irregularities in the aid process,” the group expressed concern that disaster relief aid could have been misspent and used for personal gain

With the influx of the relief assistance from different donor countries for Ondoy victims through government channels, Africa warned of the possibility that funds accumulated for Ondoy victims, estimated at about US$4.8 million, might be unaccounted for.