Locals Generate Truckloads For Typhoon Relief, But Cargo Plane Is A No-Show

(CBS) – There is growing confusion over how a stockpile of typhoon-relief donations will make it to the Philippines.

The cargo plan that was supposed to pick them up this week is missing, CBS 2 has learned.

Thursday night, volunteers were still working around the clock at the Rizal Center, 1332 W. Irving Park Road, in hopes that plane shows up.

Volunteers have helped unload and box tens of thousands of pounds of food, medical supplies and clothing for typhoon victims.

Much of it has been brought by everyday Chicagoans.

"I just brought everything I could -- pop tops, peanuts, protein, salmon," donor Kay Bowman says.

And volunteers have working as many as 20 hours a day.

"This is life changing, its life-changing," volunteer Mike Cruz says.

But the cargo plane that had been pledged by an unnamed philanthropist to take the goods to the Philippines has not yet materialized, and no one knows when it will.

An organizer of the effort believes government bureaucracy in the Philippines is to blame.

"When I hear stuff about red tape I have to say I believe that's the case. In my opinion, they need to step down from that because we need to get this stuff over there," organizer Ron Vergara says.

Allen Libot is a hard-working volunteer supervisor.

"Right now, our problem is, we don't know how to get it there. Some of the politicians, I hope they can help us," he says.

Gov. Pat Quinn was due to visit Friday morning. The workers hope to find a sympathetic ear.