MANILA, Philippines – Former vice president Leni Robredo on Wednesday morning, October 23, warned the public against a person posing as her and soliciting donations for those affected by the floods in Naga, her home city.
She said in a Facebook post that she and her Angat Buhay Pilipinas, the nongovernmental organization she founded, have authorized only the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership to receive cash donations on behalf of her team in Naga “to have transparency and accountability.”
Kaya Natin! is an NGO chaired by former senator Bam Aquino, who managed Robredo’s presidential campaign in 2022.
“This is not me. I only have one number and I don’t have Messenger. For all cash donations, we have authorized only Kaya Natin to receive for us to have transparency and accountability. Not one of us in Angat Buhay or our Naga Team will receive cash donations, as part of our policy. So don’t believe those posing as me or any Angat Buhay team member,” the former vice president and now Naga City mayoral aspirant said in a mix of Bicolano and English.
Kaya Natin! and Angat Buhay have reposted Robredo’s warning.
Angat Buhay, however, is accepting donations in kind at its headquarters in Quezon City.
As of 11 am Wednesday, Kaya Natin! reported having received P705,000 in cash donations for its “Bangon Naga” initiative.
Naga and other parts of Camarines Sur and Albay are severely affected by Tropical Kristine (Trami), reporting floods that have submerged houses. The Bicol region is so far the hardest hit by the rains and winds battering the entire Luzon and parts of the Visayas, as Kristine is predicted to make landfall Wednesday night or Thursday morning, October 24.
Late Tuesday night, October 22, Robredo posted a call for help, saying Naga needed pump boats since trucks could no longer pass through the deep floods.
For a running list of organizations accepting donations for affected communities, bookmark this MovePH page: #ReliefPH: How to help communities affected by Tropical Storm Kristine.
– Rappler.com