Just wonder with all the JW.org hype. What sort of real aid and help was given to the witnesses that were effected by that hurricane in the Philippines?Was it a case of if you had the insurance check we will help you. Or was it a case of keep warm and well feed, and here is a magazine for you to read. Were all the witnesses in the effected areas helped in a real way e.g houses rebuilt. Just curious.
Help to the Philippines
by joe134cd 11 Replies latest social current
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KateWild
I would hazard a guess and say no. I don't think the WT sent out qualified volunteers all expences paid to rebuild houses. JWs have to pay for their flights to participate in the Walkill Complex build.
It is too much of a big project in the Phillipines to rebuild all the houses for free, there will be token work done to help locals by other locals, but they are all in need.
Slim chance, what do you think?
Kate xx
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prologos
WT will provide financial help as they should, and have.
A few dollars, Euros go a long way when many houses will be rebuild as seen before, coco-lumber, palm leaves, corrugated.
smart move, as you wait for it to be washed, blown ,shaken away again.
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Almond
I am not a JW but attend meetings at the KH English congregation here in Tagbilaran City Bohol.. A quick build factory was set up beside the KH to make galvanised steel wall frames for houses.. There are around 300 or more affected Filipino JW's in Bohol... All materials such as Roofing Iron, Cement, Plywood, Toilet Bowl, Sink, Plumbimg Pipe, is trucked to the site for the House Construction.... I can post a pic here if allowed to do so..
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Almond
Sorry, forgot to add the EARTHQUAKE done the damage here... Because of the islands beside Bohol the HURRICAN fizzles out to be a rain depression with some wind... I personally was standing on the road when the QUAKE hit here... VERY SCARY for an Island to move 1 FOOT TO THE LEFT,, 1 FOOT TO THE RIGHT...
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LisaRose
From what I understand, the Society does provide some volunteer labor in certain situations, but they expect the homeowner to turn over the insurance money when they get it. So I doubt they will help in the rebuilding work unless there is $$$ in it for them. The homeowner gets nothing they could not have gotten elsewhere, the volunteer is in effect donating money to the Watchtower, the Watchtower is the only entity getting any benefit, they get money and bragging rights.
I don't know if that is the case here, it's just what I have heard about other situations.
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zebagain
by turning over any insurance cheque does this give wts the property rights? Any lawyers out there?
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Listener
I doubt many Pillipino's have insurance, they are very poor people and survive on little.
Over the years Government support structures for the needy and those involved in disasters has changed. Charities can apply to the Government for funds and need to support their claim/s. Charities that go on large donation campaigns will also provide funds to other Charities, again they would need to demonstrate that the money will be used beneficially.
I never realized until a couple of months ago that the WTBTS has recieved money from Charities, there is no reason to think that they have not also applied and recieved funding from Governments. With all the manpower that they can provide as well as organizing and supervising they would be in a very good position to demonstrate that they would make good use of the money. They do not provide assistance for just JWs, they do provide a little to the general public and this may be to demonstrate that they are helping anyone and therefore qualify for funding. It would be very interesting to see what they say in their applications and whether they are honest in stating that most of the money provided would be for the benefit of JWs.
Now, whenever I read the self promotional reports from the WTBTS as to the goods and services they have provided they never state how much funding they have recieved by other Charities or from the Government, so it is just assumed that it is all supplied by the WTBTS.
Just look at the report above by Almond. There is plenty of building material being provided by the WTBTS but not one mention as to where the funding came from for the materials.
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LisaRose
No, turning over the insurance check does not give the Watchtower property rights, it's just a donation like any other, they just cash the check and send the money.
Yes, it's unlikely that many people in the Philippines had insurance. That's why I doubt they did anything there unless it was an informal situation within the local congregation, that I could see, the Philippine people are very generous and loving. I live n a community with a large Phillipino population there were fundraisers here to raise money for people affected by the hurricane.
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TheOldHippie
"The homeowner gets nothing they could not have gotten elsewhere"
Except they get it within days and not years ........ In Haiti and elsewhere, hundreds of thousands still live in camps, years after desaster struck.