DSWD: Shelter aid rules should be strictly obeyed

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the verbal requests by northern Cebu mayors, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 insisted guidelines on the implementation of the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) project for houses either damaged or destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 should be strictly observed.

Local chief executives had argued that there is a need to revisit the guidelines released November 2014 but received by them only last month. 

This was shortly after the P1.9 billion ESA fund was downloaded to DSWD-7 from the Department of Budget and Management last December 29.

DSWD reasoned that the ESA is primarily intended to aid families who could not finance the repair and reconstruction of their homes severely affected by the super typhoon.

Under the guidelines, ESA beneficiaries are only those families who have no permanent source of income or whose income is below the poverty threshold of the region; and those whose houses were either damaged or destroyed and whose owners have not received a similar assistance from other agencies or non-government institutions.

Furthermore, regular employees of government and private corporations with salary below P15,000 a month are eligible to received the assistance provided that they are included in the DSWD-Disaster Assistance Family Access Card  master list.

The agency stressed the exclusion of those receiving a salary of more than P15,000 because they have the capacity to rebuild their houses.

Under the ISA, P10,000 shall be given to a family whose house was damaged, while P30,000 for each of those whose homes were destroyed.

Meanwhile, those living in danger zones are likewise not included as beneficiaries as they are being assisted by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

Earlier last week DSWD released P1.91 billion to the local governments of Madridejos, Santa Fe, Bantayan, Medellin, Daanbantayan, San Remegio, Tabogon, Borbon, and Bogo City for implementation of ESA.

Of the total amount, Madridejos got P125.7 million for 1,425 families with damaged houses and 5,930 families with destroyed homes; Santa Fe got P95.8 million for 2,536 families with damaged houses and 2,349 families with destroyed houses; Bantayan, P375.8 million for 7,681 families with damaged houses and 9,969 families with destroyed houses; Medellin, P211.5 million for 5,333 and 5,275 families with damaged and destroyed houses, respectively.

The other four towns of Daanbantayan got P425.7 million for  3,626 families with 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 received P103.7 million for 4,568 families with partially damaged houses and 1,937 families with totally damaged houses; Borbon with P99.2 million for the six families with partially damaged houses and 3,305 with totally damaged houses.

Bogo City received P283.6 million for 7,692 families with damaged houses and 6,890 families with destroyed homes.

The LGUs are expected by the government to distribute the cash assistance to their respective constituencies and shall submit a liquidation report 60 days after.  (FREEMAN)