LGUs told: Settle aid requirements

CEBU, Philippines - Roughly six months after the strongest typhoon in recent history devastated Eastern Visayas and a portion of Central Visayas, the national government urged the concerned local government units to settle all requirements for two of its assistance programs.

 The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VII reminded the affected LGUs in northern Cebu to complete the documentary requisites for both the Cash-for-Work program and Emergency Shelter Assistance.

 Recipient LGU needs to submit a project proposal, list of beneficiaries, memorandum of agreement, rehabilitation plan, terminal report, liquidation documents of their previous cash advances and Sangguniang Bayan resolution.

 When it struck last November 8, 2013, super typhoon Yolanda damaged 16 LGUs in northern Cebu severely, including Bantayan town, Bogo City, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Pilar, San Remegio, Sta. Fe and Madridejos both in Bantayan island, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, and Camotes islands towns of San Francisco, Tudela, and Poro.

Of these LGUs, three have received their CFW funds during a turnover ceremony when President Benigno Aquino visited Cebu for the EDSA Revolution anniversary last February 25.

 Liloan received P1.226 million, Catmon received P1.842 million, and Bantayan town received P5.287.

 DSWD 7 said Bogo City and the towns of Tabuelan, Tuburan, Sogod, San Remegio, Daanbantayan, Tudela, Poro, and San Francisco were the ones that have completed the requirements.

The CFW program enables the survivors of the typhoon to earn by helping out in relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government in exchange for a minimum wage to calamity-stricken areas.

 Tasks include loading and unloading of relief goods, repacking, food preparation, cleaning of debris, coastal cleanup, canal dredging, communal gardening, assisting in the inventory and repair of damaged facilities and other infrastructure rehabilitation works, doing repair works, planting trees and mangroves, restoring some.

 Under the program, the beneficiaries can work for 15 days.

Meanwhile, DSWD’s Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) Program provides either financial or shelter materials for the repair of houses that were either totally or partially destroyed by typhoon Yolanda.

 Both programs are part of DSWD’s early recovery efforts to bring back the lives of the disaster affected families to normalcy.

 Aside from the two programs, DSWD-7, under the Sustainable Livelihood Program, is also providing livelihood assistance to survivors of recent disasters. Based on the chosen business, each beneficiary can avail of a maximum amount of P10,000.00.  (FREEMAN)