By Celeste Anna R. Formoso
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, July 21 (PNA) -– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-MIMAROPA said that it will release a total of PHP22-million budget for the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) of 734 typhoon Yolanda-affected families in Busuanga, Coron and Culion in northern Palawan.
A statement from the DSWD-MIMAROPA received Tuesday by the Philippine News Agency (PNA), said ESA is a cash grant provided to families whose houses are either totally or partially damaged.
It may be released in cash or in the form of construction materials, depending on the situation favorable to beneficiaries and the timelines set.
Aside from the families that have no permanent source of income, or whose income is below the poverty threshold, other eligible for the ESA are families whose houses were either partially or totally damaged located in safe areas or in controlled areas; families that are renting or sharing houses which are totally or partially damaged provided they are listed in the official DSWD-Disaster Family Access Card (DAFAC); and families whose heads are employed in government or private sector but whose term of employment are not permanent/regular and do not have housing loans.
Regular employees of the government and the private sectors with fixed monthly salary below PHP15,000 are also qualified, as well as individuals, who are considered lone survivors due to the untimely demise of other family members due to the typhoon.
Families that did self-repair may be granted the assistance as long as their names are included in DSWD-DAFAC.
The municipality of Busuanga received PHP8.5 million for 284 ESA beneficiaries in four barangays while Culion received PHP6-million for 200 beneficiaries in 11 barangays, and PHP7.5-million was funded for 250 recipients in six barangays of Coron.
“Malaking tulong ito para mas magkaroon kami ng desenteng bahay. At sa halagang aming matatanggap higit na magiging matibay ang tahanan para hindi basta-bastang masisira ng anumang kalamidad (This is a big help so we can have decent homes. Because of the cash assistance we will receive we will be able to make our home sturdier so that storms cannot easily destruct them),” said Elmar Alcantara, ESA recipient from San Rafael, Busuanga.
ESA grants of PHP30,000 to families whose houses are totally damaged while victims with partially damaged can receive PHP10,000.
The said financial aid will be distributed by the local government units through the fund-transfer formalized by an agreement between the department.
Meanwhile, all LGUs where the recipients are located are expected to liquidate the fund within this year. (PNA)