Price Gouging Due to Sendong

SteveB I posed the same question to Rhoody in Help for Sendong thread 12-22-12:Outstanding work by all involved. I applaud all of You. Just a question? Have You experienced any price gouging(raising of prices due to calamity)

Rhoody's answer:Tom, I saw some tiny raises with in a few items, but nothing which really jumped into my eye.

Perhaps You missed the thread

 

Today, I went to buy coco lumber and concrete blocks for the last house that we are building. My favorite block seller, Felixberto Sand and Gravel, on the road from Valencia to Bacong, has kept their "pick-up" price the same, 5.5 pesos, BRAVO! However, the place where I was previously buying coco lumber for 12 pesos per board foot, has now increased (since Sendong) to 17 pesos per board foot!!! He told me that this increase is felt everywhere in the region but I have not verified. If any of you have old coco lumber laying around (2x2, 2x3, 2x4) from a previous construction job, at least 6 feet long, I would be happy to pick it up and take it off your hands, haha! I am trying to find wood to build this third native house, keeping within our P10,000 budget per home. Also, if anybody has coconut trees that they could donate, I can affford to have the trees cut into lumber within my budget, providing I can get the Barangay Captain's permit. For the other houses, we were able to get fallen trees to cut up before DENR came around and picked them all up.

Just for your interest, we have been able to provide all the materials to build a 12x16, two storey native house for only P10,500. The family provided their own labor and even made their own concrete blocks. The husband is out working to feed his family of 9 children during the week, working on the house for a few hours at night, then full time on Sunday. I think they will be able to move in within two or three weeks!

 

Still looking for coco lumber to finish the third house on budget. Are you sure none of you have a couple of old coconut trees on your lot that we can chop down and cut up into lumber for these poor folks? Or, Maybe some wood left over from a previous construction job?

 

There is a ban on all tree logging in the country, imposed by the president of the Philippines himself. (Due to sendong)

 

That's gonna jack-up the prices of all kindsa lumber, for sure!

 

I read what was written in the Executive Order but I am not sure if it applies to coconut plantations. It reads "....through Executive Order No. 23, the President prohibited the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from issuing and renewing logging agreements and tree cutting permits involving natural and residual forests...". The goal is to reduce landslides and also to increase soil absorbtion, preventing some of that water from making it into the rivers. I'll check out the applicability before sneaking into someone's yard and chopping stuff. The fallen wood from the rivers that was collected by DENR was apparently given to DSWD for distribution so I will check with them tomorrow to see how that will work. Thanks, Firefly, for mentioning that.

 

Could you please post some pics of it? Thank you in advance!

 

I checked on the lumber cutting. No problem for individual coconut trees to be cut. The permit is issued by the Barangay Captain, not DENR, apparently. So, if you have a couple spare coconut treees, I'm still looking. DENR and DSWD are supposed to give wood for rebuilding projects but that could take months. I will post some pictures this week of the houses we are rebuilding. Marilyn (with husband and 9 kids should be moving into their house by Monday.

 

Well, I managed to get the lumber. After fighting and crying with DENR and DSWD, they gave us the trees so we could cut lumber to build the last house. All three houses are complete and the families have moved in. All are happy and proud. We provided 500 concrete blocks and 20 bags of cement for AJ's house (Php 7000). They received help from other friends to complete their house.

With Php 10,000, we were able to provide all materials to build a 12 X 16 foot, 2 storey house for Marilyn's family. They made their own blocks with the cement we provided and we were able to cut fallen trees in their area before DENR scooped them up. After the house was completed someone else gave them money to add a dirty kitchen with galvanized steel roof. I will try to buy jalousie windows for her house (at least for the first floor) after I return from my daughter's operation in a couple weeks.

We busted the budget on Nancy's house due to the increased prices for Nipa, rebar, concrete blocks, and cement; even though her house is only 12 X 16 feet (one storey). However, the house is complete and they have moved in. I'm out of cash so no more houses for now. Hopefully the government will eventually come through and fulfill their promises. I read last week that Valencia victims just received P10,000, if their house had been destroyed (haven't verified this though).

Here are the pictures I promised.

 

Great report, Steve -- amazing that you could build these so cheaply! a wonderful way to help improve some lives in a very direct and effective way. I'm interested in what you're doing with this, want to do some myself... Will try to meet and talk with you in-perso about it when i'm back down there this coming winter.