With so many calls to action for all the various emergencies and natural disasters we face, what’s the best way to help?

Of course, the best way to go about things is to tackle the root of the problem. In Sendong’s case, I suppose it would be proper infrastructure and garbage disposal, clear evacuation procedures, so on and so forth. But when faced with an emergency, here are a couple of suggestions with regard to making contributions and doing our part to help others in need:

1. Donate cash where possible. Gifts in kind are appreciated, but as GIKs go, they’re a logistical nightmare to dispatch and distribute from a different point of origin. To be cost-effective, shipping can take a couple of weeks — even more in inclement weather, which might then be too late — and donating in cash allows greater flexibility for the steward organization to make purchases of items for which there is a greater need.

Also, these are steward organizations, not exactly masters of managing supply chains the way major corporations purveying, say, FMCGs, would be. I can only imagine the time and labor spent accounting for all goods which may or may not have been declared, wasting precious time — after all, emergencies, by definition, require immediate action. That said,

2. If you’re donating in kind, label your goods. Even indicating quantity is a big help. Be precise.

3. Don’t donate anonymously. This can seem counter-intuitive, but donating anonymously helps a steward organization live out its financial accountability. By posting your donation under your own account, you’re helping the organization’s posting and monitoring of donations. All “anonymous” donations get pooled under one account, and in the event of a financial discrepancy, it would be extremely difficult to tell from which specific donation that discrepancy came. In addition, by posting a donation under your own account / name, you’d be better equipped to keep track of where the money was spent within that organization, and to which end.

On second thought, this may not necessarily be a post about “the best way” to help — I suppose these are suggestions to optimize what we’re doing. I’ve enabled answers in this post because tips are always welcome in this regard.

Worth reading.

• The principle of meritocracy applies to all family members or professionals, regardless of who the person is or his parentage.

• All family members who want to work for the group must apply.

• Relatives applying must be qualified and have competitive credentials vis-à-vis the professional managers.

• Relatives should have good academic preparation and are first encouraged to work at least two years for other companies outside the group.

• Normally, the clan wants family members to start in operating positions first within the group before promoting them to any managerial positions, so they will know what’s happening with the rank and file, and with the diverse operations. They never start relatives at the top positions.

• Relatives who work with the group are not allowed to have any sidelines or other business interests, but must focus on their duties.

• All relatives who work for the group must retire at age 60, with the goal of encouraging more younger kin to rise and take over important duties or responsibilities.

• The fairness principle must be upheld within the clan.

• Regular meetings, open communications and transparency are promoted within leaders of the clan. It is important to have constant communications.

• Never take any family or clan member for granted.

• Do not forget the moral and cultural values of the clan forebears.

• Clan members are close-knit, often doing things together, traveling on overseas vacations with cousins or sleeping over at each other’s homes, even as kids. Many third-degree Aboitiz cousins consider fellow cousins brothers and sisters, building relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

• The collective family elects the leader of the business conglomerate until he retires at age 60 and another leader is chosen. 

• The whole Aboitiz clan believes in continuously adapting to innovation and new ideas, because a leader said, “If you don’t adapt, one day you might become extinct.”

(Source: philstar.com)