Vietnam probes disaster relief payments as low as $0.08

A wave of public discontent has emerged in Vietnam's Gia Lai province after residents reported receiving minuscule disaster relief payments, with some individuals receiving as little as 2,000 Vietnamese dong (approximately $0.08 USD).

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The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested that Binh Dinh ward organize a meeting with the people, conduct checks, dialogue, and provide a specific report to the department regarding the feedback that residents received only a few thousand dong in disaster relief.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has acknowledged the complaints and has requested that Binh Dinh ward officials convene a meeting with residents. The department seeks a detailed report on the matter, aiming to address the public's concerns about the adequacy of the aid distributed following severe storms in late 2025.

According to Cao Thanh Thuong, director of the provincial department, the relief payments are calculated based on damage assessments submitted by local communities. He explained that some households reported very minor crop damage, such as to a few young, one-year-old mai trees, which resulted in correspondingly low compensation amounts. For instance, a reported loss of two young mai trees, valued at 1,300 dong per tree, equated to a total compensation of 2,600 dong.

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Some households reported very small crop damage, so they received a small amount of money.

Le Quoc Cuong, Chairman of the Binh Dinh People's Committee, confirmed that some residents received minimal compensation due to the low reported value of their losses. He noted that the total relief fund for the ward was 305 million dong, allocated to over 400 households based on their individual reported damages. While some households received millions of dong, others were compensated for very small losses. The committee is working to ensure transparency and fairness in the distribution process.

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Each household reported damage to a few mai trees. The commune compiled the overall figures for the ward and proposed support. When the provincial support funds arrived, the commune distributed them to be disbursed and settled according to the damage list of each household.