The Used Clothing Business

Comment from a reader on: "Dick's Reprehensible Behavior":

Not enough rice? Then let them eat pastillas. To twist a famous phrase of Marie Antoinette. I recall warships loaded with donated books leaving the USA for the Philippines, all marked with a "project handclasp" stamp on one of the pages. I also recall hearing about retail outlets in Olongapo having books for sale, also marked with a similar stamp. It would be better to leave donated goods on the street corners where they can be "stolen". At least they will get into the hands of the needy.

Recently LBC was offering free shipping on donated goods from Saipan and Guam to help the victims of the recent storms. They had to knock it off because the Philippine government has strict regulations about the importation of used clothing.

It seems that the worry is that the Customs service, which maintains a well-known profitable network of used clothing stores across the country stocked with stolen and confiscated goods from the ports of entry, were worried that their sales would suffer if used clothing was donated to victims. The good people of Saipan and Guam were stunned that their donated goods were returned.

http://www.asianjournal.com/community/community-news/3257-hands-tied-by-a-philippine-law-lbc-can-no-longer-accept-donations-of-used-clothing-for-ondoy-victims-.html

[The Subic Bulletin] Things haven't changed from 10 years ago when the Australian Government sent 6 x 40 foot containers of medicines to the Philippines as a donation. Customs demanded payment to release the donated shipment so it sat there until all the medicines had expired. Maybe customs is in the drug store business as well?