‘Philanthropists’ play truant

Representative of My Le Company promises a VND300 million donation to the charity event held on January 31, 2010 but the firm has paid part of the sum. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Eighteen firms who pledged donations to charity at a nationally televised music show last year have failed to keep their promises.
“Song Be – Nghia tinh yeu thuong” (Song Be – My love) organized in January last year in Binh Phuoc saw 100 firms and philanthropists promising to make donations.
They pledged VND125.2 billion ($6 million) in total and all the others except the 18 have sent their donations, Duong Thi Tuyet, an organizer, said.
The chairman of the province people’s committee, Truong Tan Thieu, told Tuoi Tre the defaulters had promised VND5 billion (US$238,000) and were yet to pay up though his office had contacted them and asked for the payment.
They include Long An-based real estate firm Hong Phat who had pledged VND300 million ($14,300), Southern Petro Trading Company ($37,600), Mai Linh Corporation ($47,600) and construction firm Becamex Binh Phuoc ($7,100).
My Le, Hung Nhon, Tien Phat, and The Ky have paid part of their promised donations.
Some of the defaulters told Tuoi Tre they had faced financial difficulties last year, and promised to pay this year.
The money was raised to build infrastructure for schools, libraries, housing for the poor, and provide scholarships to needy students, according to the Binh Phuoc Sponsoring Association for the Disabled, Orphans and Poor Patients.

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