Is Ukay-Ukay OK!OK or not OK! OK?

I am all, for the Underdog, most of the time. I have seen many smiling faces, when I have accompanied Azon, to the large Ukay-Ukay Shop in town. For many, to Get Good, second hand Cloths, that are in the main Pretty Good Quality, at unbelievable prices, is I am sure, a God send. Many are good labels and Quality is medium, to Brilliant.

We have clothes here, that came from this shop and I am not too proud, to Wear things bought there, around the house.

BUT Ladies and Gentlemen, I have taken a total about turn, since this Afternoon.

We were there, looking for clothes, for some family members, as a support thing we do, instead of giving money in cash.

They Choose, we pay, I always feel good, as shows we care in ways, others may not think about.

I came across a Stand with 5 or 6 pairs of long pants, all the same Colour all the same Size. ODD I thought, never seen this before. When I looked at the labels, I was Astounded. The label I knew, although I have not seen it for many Years.

It said, made by........... Aylesford for............ of Maidstone.now being a sometimes suspicious, person I decided to call my Middle daughter (She just Happens to Work for the parent Company in Canterbury.)[by the way, all these places are in Kent County. England] she just [about 1 hour ago] contacted me via Skype to give me news, of what, I had suspected. Those Pants, were Part, of a Seconds consignment, Donated to the Philippines after Yolanda. The Company in Question, Donated over 4.500 items to the fund. Fellow Members, I have no wish to have this Thread Considered Controversial and certainly not Political, Hence I would like it left please, in the General Forum, as I consider this issue, worthy of all, the Members comments, Should they wish, to comment at all. Not just the Biased or lets put the World to Rights Brigade

I don't know how others, will feel about this but I find it Disgusting, certainly not, the Sort of thing, one expects to see here in "Dumaguete, The City of Gentle People "


Thank You for reading!



JP:(

 

It is appalling, but not unexpected. I am certain NO Government Official was complicent. :rolling of eyes: Donating Humanitarian goods, should be labeled as such before shipping. Logistically feasible? I guess not for reasons of expediency. Unlike Governments who stockpile goods for Disaster Relief, and labeled as such. Shaming a person or business in the PI is not an option from what I gather. So nah your faced with a moral dilema, to patronize such a business or not.

 

Jack its a thriving business long before the last bad typhoon. For decades..clothing is collected in 1st world nations mostly through charitable organizations and churches. But when it gets to the Philippines..the magic happens.. it *shazamm*.. becomes goods for sale.
Everything that comes into this country no matter what ..gets to be paid for. The govt repackaged a lot of good with their names on them to be distributed to Bohol.. By the time it got there they were stacking bodies.

If your asking if its wareable goods.yes is the answer and many large size foreigners find it the only way to find clothes to fit them. It sells for low amount.. so it becomes a deal for foreigner and local alike.. But if you ask is it morally ok..well.. You dont need to ask that question you already know the answer to that one.

 

Oh .. I forgot to add that good on ya for taking the goods pricing back to free to the locals as it was intended to be..Thanks Jack

 

Jack, I can imagine your surprise.
To be honest, I was disgusted last trip upon visiting Leyte.
Knowing how much the good people of Uk gave, in both money and goods, I saw no great signs of improvement for those who suffered from Yolanda there. About all I did see apart from bridge and roadworks was a few hundred tents!.
On my return to UK, shame on me, I did not contact my MP as planned to bring questions to parliment and put pressure on Philippine Government to explain. Reading your thread makes me feel sorry I didn't....JB

 

I don't know how others, will feel about this but I find it Disgusting, certainly not, the Sort of thing, one expects to see here in "Dumaguete, The City of Gentle People "-JP

I look back to Sendong and I take Pride in knowing the Gentle People(Expats) went above and beyond in making a difference in their villages and communties in the effort to provide releif to those that had lost literally everything. I was not in-country at the time, but I made a donation to help what little I could to help purchase goods for those families. Each and every monetary donation was taken into account and accounted for. I felt Blessed to have come to know some who are here on this Forum and those who have passed, knowing their hearts were similar to mine. Take solace in knowing that YOU made a difference....The Jack's, Roger,PatO, Rhoody, Larry & Rony and so many more who my feeble memory fails to remind me of the names. It's not about what Government is going to do for us, it's what we as caring human beings do for eachother. Syempre I don't have to remind you of the good done by these Gentle People....your reward will be everlasting.

 

I'm surprised you are surprised.

I think it was after Sendong that my eyes were opened. A Japanese national and his filipina wife were running an ukay ukay in Consolacion, Cebu. As they opened the huge packages it was easy to read the wording: Japanese relief for Sendong victims. (written in English AND Japanese)

Its the Philippines. Its how they do it here.

 

I don't thnk it's endemic with Ukay Ukay stores. I can imagine more than a few irradiated vehicles are circulating around the Phils as well.

 

Nothing surprises me anymore, Charities are one here in Oz who disgust me at the best of times.

Lifeline, one of the largest; here in Ipswich they use to employ people with Disabilities, paid them 50 cents per hour to work with dangerous chemicals in the Plastics Business they had making Stubby Coolers, Card Wallets etc and in the Laundry section, they had to hand scrape shyte from the Adult Nappies (using bare hands) that came in for washing, often linen and things from the medical places had organs still stuck to them after cleaning and were left for the mentally challenged workers to clean before washing. In the Furniture Division, the Boss and Truck Driver were in cahoots, all Cash that was deposited into the Lifeline Bins were split between them, and GOOD items donated were dropped at home by the Driver to be later sold at the Flea Markets.

One time, a Lady was heading off to move abroad and had recently purchased a $5,000 Lounge, my friend had to accompany the Truck Driver to pick it up, where the 5K Lounge went to the Bosses place, his Lounge went to the Truck Driver's place and his piece of crap went to Lifeline. Pecking order; Boss had first pick at anything that came in, Managers next, those doing Community Service Orders there were next, the Disabled Workers last before what was left was divided up to be sold to the Public to raise Funds for their Counselling Services which they are well known for...

I will admit it; when I was working in the Panel Game I use to go through the Rag Bags, where often I would score BRAND NEW WITH TAGS Clothes for myself and my Wife, we were p*ss poor and scraping the bottom of the barrel so it came in handy, but eventually, they took to shredding the Clothes for the Rag Bags after members of the public bought it to the attention of the Current Affair Programs what was happening with the donated Clothes, MANY of which were Brand New, that were MEANT to go to the NEEDY! Lifeline justified themselves by stating that they received more for the Clothes as Rags for the Motor Trade than they would make selling them or donating to the needy...

Over decades I have watched here how many Charity Organizations have been named and shamed, including the Salvation Army! I REFUSE to donate anything to a Charity here! Once, just ONCE; I asked the Salvo's for help when I needed some bread and Cereal to tide my young Son and Daughter over for 3 days after a bulimic mate gorged himself stupid one night eating their food leaving me with nothing until my next Pension came in. I was berated by the Major at the Salvo's, that experience changed who I was, I never gave them my kids clothes when they grew out of them, their toys once they stopped playing with them, I would not give them the time of day for what I endured for a $20.00 Voucher to buy my kids some cereal, powder milk, bread and vegemite so that they had food in their bellies...

During the past few typhoons, I donated online until the Red Cross were disgraced in China, I gave to some Facebook groups who collected money to donate to those in need (apparently making them rich so I was told) so in the end, I decided to help those who I KNEW! At least I KNEW WHERE the money was going, and; ALL OF IT! :(

I am still helping one young Girl who has just had a Baby, she and her Husband are still living in Tents in Leyte, her Baby is sick with Pneumonia, her Husband is not finding enough work to support them, but he is trying, she says they are not getting the help they need from local Government Members, it seems as if they have been forgotten by the world... :(

Today; I am p*ss poor broke, I eat one meal a day here as it is all I can afford, I have been struggling for the past year to try to save enough money to cover my Airfare to come back home to my Wife and Daughter, but I would still rather send a little from time to time to help my young friend in Leyte who I put through College when I was somewhat better off financially, than to give to ANY Charity who skim between 75% to 90% off for Administrative Costs BEFORE doling out what is left to those in need... :(

This is to me, highly indicative of exactly what Charities are in truth;

FAT GREEDY ENTITIES...
http://time.com/3078429/yunnan-earthquake-red-cross-society-of-china-guo-meimei-sex-scandal/