DepEd clarifies housing aid for Leyte teachers

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 8 (PNA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) Eastern Visayas regional office has issued a clarification on the issue of housing assistance for teachers affected by super typhoon Yolanda in the region, while appealing for understanding on its delay.

"We have disseminated already the guidelines and the final list for the second batch. The list was from the Presidential Management Staff. On our end, we did our best to request for reconsideration for those who were not included in the first batch of first tranche," said Jasmin Calzita, DepEd regional information officer.

She, however, added that she still have to ask from the regional director what the next step will be for those not included in the second batch.

Asked who will be liable for the delay of the fund release, she said that "we cannot tell if it is the national because they also have timeline and protocol of processing the documents."

"Remember, it’s not only Region 8, there are other regions who were also affected and the fund is not only for Yolanda, but for the earthquake in Bohol and Cebu," Calzita said.

She also informed that they already have the guidelines and list for the second batch, adding they are "only waiting for this batch to comply the necessary requirements."

She then asked for understanding for the delay.

To recall, Presidential Management Staff secretary Julia Andrea Abad issued a guideline for the disbursement of the housing reimbursement aid taken from the President’s Social Fund in January 2014 which amounted to P100,000 for totally or heavily damaged houses and P30,000 for partially damaged.

Recipients of the housing assistance are education personnel from different divisions in Regions 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 who were victims of Bohol earthquake in October and typhoon Yolanda on November 2013.

Public school teachers who were affected by super typhoon Yolanda in Leyte province have been appealing for the full and final release of their housing assistance from the President’s Social Fund.

“I hope the money will be released the soonest possible time for our housing needs," said Fidelino Josol, a school teacher in Palo, Leyte.

According to Josol, they already received the first tranche or only half of the amount sometime in September 2015, although the liquidation report they were asked to submit showed full amount of the fund they are about to receive. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/RONALD O. REYES