Northern towns still waiting for aid

CEBU, Philippines – Some towns in northern Cebu which bore the brunt of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and were identified as recipients of the Emergency Shelter Assistance have yet to see the end of their waiting for cash allocation from the Department of Budget and Management.

The DBM until now failed to disburse over P365 million for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s ESA for the eight local government units in the province.

According to the record presented by the DSWD before the Provincial Board yesterday, the town of San Francisco, Camotes Island has not yet received an amount from P91.6 million intended for the families whose houses were either partially damaged or destroyed by Yolanda.

Along with Tudela, three other towns in Camotes Island have also not received their share: Poro (P48,430,000); Pilar (P43, 980, 000); and Tudela (P18, 870, 000).

However, Emma Patalinghug, DSWD-7’s Protective Service Unit head, said the amounts, as well as the remaining balance for other LGUs, were already issued with Special Allotment Release Order from DBM.

The town of Santa Fe in Bantayan Island is also awaiting the P44.7 million allocation from DBM representing the remaining balance of the total amount of ESA intended for the town. The DSWD had transferred to the town a total of P95.8 million but the amount has yet to be distributed to the beneficiaries.

DSWD also noted at least P48 million balance for Tuburan, P23 million for Sogod, and P46.4 million for Tabuelan.

Yolanda victims whose houses were “partially damaged” are entitled to receive P10,000, while those with houses destroyed will get P30,000, subject to the provisions on the ESA guidelines.

While some LGUs in northern Cebu are still waiting for the allocation, the DSWD has transferred the ESA fund to Madridejos, Daanbantayan, and Medellin. The funds for San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Borbon, and Bantayan are now ready for release, the DSWD records show.

Patalinghug explained that the towns which have submitted complete documents were the first ones to receive the ESA.

Yesterday, Patalinghug and some mayors in northern Cebu appeared before the PB to discuss with the body “in aid of legislation” the issue concerning the ESA. The mayors who attended the session were from Medellin, Tabuelan, San Remigio, Madridejos, Daanbantayan, Bantayan, and Santa Fe.

The mayors reiterated their concerns about the guidelines set by DSWD, which excludes government employees with monthly income of more than P15, 000 from availing the assistance, and those living in danger zones.

Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez lamented that the funds should not have been entrusted to the LGUs because the mayors are the ones being blamed by those who would not be able to receive the assistance.

“Ngano pod nga diri man na gi-entrust namo, wa man unta mi mahangol anang kwartaha. Amo lang kay kami ang basulon,” he said,

After the discussion yesterday, the body then passed an incidental motion requesting DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman to release the ESA to the beneficiaries and consider the original masterlist that included those with earning beyond the income ceiling set in the guidelines.

DSWD-7 officials and the town mayors will meet again today to thoroughly discuss and hopefully review the guidelines on Yolanda emergency shelter assistance.

An officer from DSWD central office will help the regional officers to explain to and hear the concerns of local chief executives on how to implement the ESA.

"We have someone from the central office to answer the queries of the northern Cebu mayors. Apart from mayors, we also invited auditors, accountants, ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) presidents for better discussion," said Jenifer Abastillas of DSWD 7 Disaster Risk Reduction Unit.

The forum will be held starting at 9 a.m. today at Hotel Asia. Medellin was the most recent LGU to have claimed the ESA.

The ESA allotted for Medellin amounting to P211,580,000, which will benefit 5,333 families whose houses were partially damaged and 5,275 families whose houses were destroyed by Yolanda.

Mayors Salvador Dela Fuente of Madridejos, Augusto Corro of Daanbantayan, and Jose Esgana of Santa Fe earlier claimed the shelter assistance on February 2, 4, and 10, respectively.

The towns of Tabogon and Borbon and the city of Bogo have yet to claim theirs, pending compliance with the documentary requirements based on the records of DSWD.

On December 29, 2014, the DSWD-7 received the P1,909,630,000 intended for the ESA of nine typhoon-stricken towns and city. This amount, which is under the Modified Disbursement System, is in the Treasury Account and does not earn interest. – /FPL (FREEMAN)