'Yolanda’ victims in Samar get cash aid

TACLOBAN CITY  Oct. 24 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development has started this week releasing PHP5,000 cash assistance meant for victims of super typhoon "Yolanda" who did not receive post-disaster emergency shelter assistance (ESA).

DSWD information officer for disaster Joshua Kempis said Tuesday the distribution was delayed due to lengthy validation process especially that some beneficiaries moved to other places.

The distribution had started in Basey, Samar, considering the town’s proximity to the regional office, he said.

The release of cash assistance at the regional office here is still ongoing for Basey town with 1,154 recipients.

For Samar province alone, there are 11,453 beneficiaries from the towns of Marabut, Basey, Calbiga, Daram, Paranas, Pinabacdao, Zummaraga, and Catbalogan City.

“In areas like Eastern Samar and Northern Samar, we will send some personnel from the DSWD to distribute the cash assistance since they are far from the regional capital,” Kempis said.

The cash aid is only intended for those who are qualified and submitted requirements before November 8, 2016. The government aims to complete the process before the year ends.

Linda Verbo, a mother of 11 from Balante village in Basey town, patiently waited for her turn to receive the aid at the DSWD regional office.

Her family has been staying in a makeshift house made of bamboo and tarpaulin after the monster typhoon flattened their village on November 8, 2013.

“Instead of using the money to fix our house, I will buy rice and school supplies for my children,” Verbo said.

The DSWD needs about PHP1 billion from the Office of the President for the distribution of across the board cash assistance.

Between 2013 to 2015, the government had distributed PHP30,000 ESA for families with totally damaged houses and PHP10,000 for those with partially damaged houses. (RTA/PNA)