Typhoon-prone areas to get pre-disaster aid

MANILA, Philippines — The government has teamed up with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the distribution of pre-disaster financial assistance to poor families in typhoon-prone areas.

Government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and UNICEF as part of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund for Anticipatory Action.

The MOU aims to provide pre-disaster cash aid to families in typhoon-prone towns in Catanduanes and Northern Samar.

Under the agreement, Land Bank will lead the disbursement of multipurpose unconditional cash transfers to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps worth P1,000 each through Land Bank prepaid cards.

The assistance will be released three days before the expected landfall of any typhoon under category four or five.

The aid will be given to residents of Baras, Bato, San Andres and Virac in Catanduanes and Catarman, Catubig, Gamay, Mondragon and San Roque in Northern Samar.

The cash aid under the UN program aims to mitigate the impact of typhoons on homes and livelihood while building on the government’s mandatory preemptive evacuation procedures.

Land Bank president and chief executive officer Cecilia Borromeo said the collaboration would ensure the delivery of immediate and secure cash assistance to vulnerable sectors in towns prone to typhoons.

She said the program would complement the bank’s efforts toward building stronger and more resilient communities.

4Ps beneficiaries can use their prepaid cards to withdraw the cash assistance from Land Bank automated teller machines (ATM) and agent banking partners.

They can also make cashless purchases in groceries and drugstores via point-of-sale terminals after Land Bank upgraded its prepaid cards to provide more convenient banking services.

Land Bank has issued ATM cards for all of the 4.4 million 4Ps beneficiaries nationwide.