Juju
M. Empuerto
CEBU CITY,
March 9 (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
released recently over P211 million as shelter assistance to Medellin town
through Municipal Mayor Ricardo Ramirez, according to DSWD-7 Regional
Information Officer Leah Quintana.
Quintana said that DSWD-7 Regional Director Mercedita Jabagat
handed over the check amounting to P211,580,000 to Mayor Ramirez in a
simple turn over ceremony at DSWD Field Office VII.
Said amount will benefit 5,333 families whose houses were
partially damaged and 5,275 families whose houses were totally damaged by
Typhoon Yolanda.
Director Jabagat clarified that the list of beneficiaries emanated
from the local government units and signed by the respective mayors. "Our
office did not do the listing of ESA beneficiaries,” she said.
She added that the Disaster Assistance and Family Access Card
(DAFAC) is not the assistance that the victims will receive.
Jabagat said DAFAC is a card issued by the LGU to victims of
disaster indicating the general information of the family head and its members
and the assistance provided to/received by the family from various providers.
Through the DAFAC, one can monitor if the family is underserved or
overserved.
It confirms that a family is a victim of disaster and is eligible
to receive relief assistance.
In the provision of assistance, the government does not
discriminate beneficiaries but it has its policies and guidelines to follow for
the effective implementation of its programs and services.
DSWD has been implementing Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) for
the past years and provided P10,000 for houses that were totally damaged and
P5,000 for houses that were partially damaged and those who can avail are
families with income of P10,000 and below.
DSWD came up with guidelines solely for the implementation of
Yolanda ESA on November 21, 2014 because of the magnitude of the damage caused
by typhoon Yolanda.
In the new guidelines, the amount of assistance is increased from
P10,000 to P30,000 for totally damaged house and from P5,000 to P10,000 for
partially damaged house.
Also, families with an income of 15,000 and below will receive the
assistance.
At present, the agency stands by the appropriateness of its
guidelines on the implementation of the ESA project for Typhoon Yolanda
survivors with partially and totally damaged houses.
According to Jabagat, the Yolanda ESA guidelines ensure that only
those who are most in need and have no immediate resources to rebuild their
homes are given the assistance.
Jabagat said beneficiaries of the ESA under the guidelines are
families who have no permanent source of income or whose income is below the
poverty threshold of the region; those whose houses were either partially or
totally damaged and who have not received a similar assistance from other agencies
or non-government institutions.
Moreover, regular employees of government and private corporations
with salary below P15,000 are also eligible as long as they are included in the
master list of DSWD-Disaster Assistance Family Access Card (DAFAC).
DSWD upheld its stand on not including those receiving a salary of
more than P15, 000 because they have the capacity to access other sources and
to rebuild their houses.
“Many are affected by Yolanda and DSWD knows that the people will
understand that those who do not have a regular source of livelihood need the
shelter assistance the most,” expressed Director Jabagat.
Jabagat said these guidelines are meant to ensure that the right
beneficiaries will be provided the needed housing assistance. She also said
this set limitations in the guidelines is in consideration to the fund
available for the program.
In the guidelines, those living in danger zones are also not
included as beneficiaries, because they are being assisted by the Housing and
Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
Quintana bared that DSWD VII received P1.9 billion for ESA last
December 29, 2014 for the nine (9) Yolanda-stricken towns and one city in Cebu.
The amount is under the Modified Disbursement System and is in the
Treasury Account and do not earn interest.
Quintana added that the breakdown of the more than P1.9B is as
follows: Madridejos got P125.7 million for 1,425 families with partially
damaged houses and 5,930 families with totally damaged houses; Santa Fe got P95.8
million for 2,536 families with partially damaged houses and 2,349 families
with totally damaged houses; Bantayan, P375.8 million for 7,681 families with
partially damaged houses and 9,969 families with totally damaged houses;
Medellin, P211.5 million for 5,333 and 5,275 families with partially and
totally damages houses; Daanbantayan with P425.7 million for the 3,626 families
with partially damaged houses and 12,987 families with totally damaged houses;
San Remegio, P188.1 million for 7,449 families whose houses are partially
damaged and 3,788 families with totally damaged houses; Tabogon with P103.7
million for the 4,568 families with partially damaged houses and 1,937 families
with totally damaged houses; Borbon with P99.2 million for the 6 families with
partially damaged houses and 3,305 with totally damaged houses.
The city of Bogo has P283.6 million for the 7,692 families with
partially damaged houses and 6,890 families whose houses were totally damaged.
Mayors Salvador Dela Fuente of Madridejos, Augusto Corro of
Daanbantayan, and Jose Esgana of Santa Fe claimed the shelter assistance last
February 2, 4, and 10, according to the DSWD-7 official.
The towns of San Remegio, Tabogon and Borbon and the city of Bogo
still lack documents based on the records of DSWD-7.
As of this time, the town of Bantayan did not claim the shelter
assistance. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu/DSWD7)