Ormoc kicks off second round of shelter aid distribution

ORMOC City, Leyte, Dec. 28 (PNA) – The City Treasurer’s Office resumed this week the second release of the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) after receiving the funds from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

DSWD Regional Director Nestor Ramos personally handed over last Dec. 22 the check worth PHP414.08 million to city treasurer Delia Vilbar for distribution to at least 28,984 families under the category “totally damaged” homes.

Each family is entitled to receive PHP15,000 representing half of the assistance. The local government completed the distribution of the first tranche on October.

Mayor Edward C. Codilla would have wanted to conclude the ESA distribution before Christmas, but because of the long holidays, only beneficiaries from 18 villages will be given their share.

City Administrator Francis Pepito is confident though that the distribution will be concluded before the election ban on Jan. 29, 2016.

It may be recalled that last June 1, DSWD downloaded to Ormoc PHP689,369,934.25 which turned out to be insufficient as the number of families rose from 40,673 to 52,325 with the accommodation of more names in the master list, thus reducing the amount received by the beneficiaries.

With the concurrence of the city council, it was decided that families whose houses were destroyed will receive PHP15,000 instead of PHP30,000, while those whose homes were damaged will get PHP10,000 instead of PHP15,000 on the premise that the remaining amounts will be requested from the national government thereafter.

The ESA is being released by the DSWD as part of the rehabilitation efforts to help super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ survivors rebuild their homes. (PNA)
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No corruption in shelter aid distribution in Ormoc - city administrator

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Nov. 30 PNA) – A city official here denied that there is corruption in the distribution of emergency shelter assistance (ESA) for typhoon victims in this city.

City administrator Francis Pepito confirmed that some groups are spreading rumors about anomalies in the ESA distribution to confuse the public especially that it’s already election season.

In this city, the most common allegation is that Mayor Edward C. Codilla is using the ESA funds to boost his campaign war chest, according to Pepito.

“That is malicious and nonsense. Only stupid people would say that. But those who use their brains know that is impossible and we know that to be true,” Pepito said, as he explained the processes the ESA funds had to go through.

“There is a long process and along the way, the mayor doesn’t get to touch any of the money. In the accounting procedure alone, the treasurer and most especially the auditor – all have strict requirements. Step-by-step, safety nets are put in place so that nothing is lost even the last centavo. So it’s impossible for local officials to make money out of it,” he explained.

Pepito doesn’t believe there is corruption both on the national and local levels as far as the ESA is concerned. “But we’re not dirty-minded. We know for a fact that it is not true. It is impossible to steal money from the ESA,” he concluded.

To recall, Ormoc was allocated Php689.36 million from the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Recovery Plan (CRRP) for ESA for 52,325 families. (PNA)
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Ormoc prepares to release 2nd tranche of shelter aid

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Nov. 27 (PNA) - The city government submitted to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the city mayor for the release of the second tranche of the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) in Ormoc.

City administrator Francis Pepito and city legal officer Ivan Verallo personally handed the MOA to DSWD Regional Director Nestor Ramos.

The MOA indicates that each victim of supertyphoon Yolanda under the “totally damaged” category will receive the entire PHP14,286.75 million cash balance from the ESA.

To recall, Ormoc was allocated PHP689.36 million from the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Recovery Plan (CRRP) which turned out to be insufficient as the number of families rose from 40,673 to 52,325 with the accommodation of more names in the master list.

This reduced by half the PHP30,000 supposedly due to beneficiaries under the “totally damaged” category to only PHP15,713.25 on the premise that the balance will be requested from the national government thereafter.

With the conclusion of the ESA distribution last month, Mayor Edward Codilla endorsed to the city council on Oct. 19 a request that he be authorized to enter into a MOA with DSWD for the release of the second tranche of ESA for those under the “totally damaged” category.

The MOA states that DSWD-8 will download PHP414.08 million for the distribution of PHP14,286.75 to 28,984 families.

However, during the meeting called by the SP Committee on Social Welfare, Senior Citizens, Women and Family on Nov. 9, Ramos announced that DSWD can download only PHP289.84 million, which is good for PHP10,000 each. The beneficiaries will also receive galvanized iron sheets to cover the fund gap.

With this information, Councilors Benjamin Pongos and Vincent Rama, committee chairman advised the mayor’s office to submit to the council a revised MOA indicating that the beneficiaries will receive PHP10,000 and nine GI sheets instead.

Ramos told the two city officials that he pitched for the cash and roofing materials modality because there was no money yet during that time.

“At that time we didn’t have additional allocation for the CRRP. After balancing all cash available, we determined we can still allocate,” he said.

Ramos was referring to the PHP492.65 million savings or unreleased funds from the CRRP for the entire Eastern Visayas. He added he will study if the PHP414.08 million needed for ESA’s second tranche in Ormoc can be obligated from the PHP492.65 million CRRP savings of their agency. (PNA)
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