Filipino netizens have warned government officials to stow away their twitching palms as an influx of financial aid and other assistance from the international community poured into the country, following the destruction and chaos brought by Category 5 super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

Police push a trolley containing relief supplies at Tacloban military base for the victims of super Typhoon Haiyan in Samar province in central Philippines November 11, 2013. Dazed survivors of super Typhoon Haiyan that swept through the central Philippines killing an estimated 10,000 people begged for help and scavenged for food, water and medicine on Monday, threatening to overwhelm military and rescue resources. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

Various news outlets have reported the Philippines will be receiving large amounts from various countries, including:

  • Australia - US$10 million package
  • Belgium - medical and search and rescue personnel
  • Canada - C$5 million
  • Denmark - KR10 million
  • European Union - EUR 3 million
  • Germany - 23 tonnes of relief goods
  • Hungary - search and rescue personnel and rapid response team
  • Indonesia - in-kind donations
  • Israel - team of medical, trauma and relief professionals
  • Japan - emergency relief medical team
  • Malaysia - medical and search and rescue teams
  • Netherlands - undisclosed financial aid
  • New Zealand - NZ$2.15 million
  • Norway - KR20 million
  • Russia - rapid response team
  • Saudi Arabia - US$100,000 through Prince Talal bin Abdulariziz Al Saud
  • Singapore - $50,000
  • Spain - in-kind donations
  • Sweden - emergency communications equipment
  • Taiwan - US$200,000
  • Turkey - medics, rapid response team, search and rescue personnel
  • United Arab Emirates - Dhs36 million
  • United Kingdom - £6 million and $9.6 million worth of emergency support package
  • United Nations Children's Fund - $1.3 million worth of supplies
  • United States - initial $100,000 for water and sanitation; troops; emergency respondents; transportation and equipment

Filipino netizens have been taking tabs on every amount reported to have been pledged by foreign countries, fearful the funds would go to oblivion. Everybody urged everyone to monitor how funds and other assistance will be disbursed.

Jonathan Adams, an analyst at Bloomberg Industries, said super typhoon Haiyan's economic impact to the Philippines could reach $14 billion.

Immediately on Monday, super typhoon Haiyan's impact had affected the peso, decelerating to a five-week low. Philippine stocks were likewise affected, with the benchmark index sliding the most in six weeks.

With the Philippine officials yet to fully ascertain the extent of destruction, the number of dead, including damage to infrastructure could still mount. The number of donors could also increase. Essentially, the amount of incoming money from the global community will surge, possibly posing a haul of temptation to corrupt government officials.

A worker stands near World Food Programme (WFP) relief goods near Subang airport in Kuala Lumpur November 10, 2013, to be sent to victims of super typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The Philippine Red Cross estimated that more than 1,000 people were killed in the coastal city of Tacloban and at least 200 in hard-hit Samar province when one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall slammed into the country. Local officials estimate at least 10,000 people have died the city of Tacloban alone. REUTERS/Samsul Said

"There are concerns economic momentum will slowdown as the series of catastrophes could entail substantial reconstruction costs," Jonathan Ravelas, a market strategist, told Bloomberg. "This will be a big expense for the government and the damage we have seen from reports will impact growth."

The Philippines is currently reeling on a deep-rooted political issue, shaken by a controversial scandal that involved high-profile legislators, elected by the people who they thought will serve them and the country's best interests.

On Monday, 38 individuals received charges of plunder graft, malversation of public funds, or direct bribery. Among those slapped were current senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada.

The criminal complaints seeks answers as to how lawmakers unjustly enriched themselves from their government funds, known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or more commonly as pork barrel. Lawmakers were alleged to have received 40 per cent to 60 per cent of the cash value of various PDAF-funded projects. These were made possible through associations with fake or dubious non-government organizations (NGO).

Surely, the Philippines and its people were already struggling with a couple of unwanted disasters, including the recent devastating earthquake that hit many of the same islands and before that, the uprising of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Zamboanga. And then the frankenstorm or stormageddon Haiyan (Yolanda) occurred.