LGUs told: Hasten release of ESA

CEBU, Philippines- The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 has called on the Yolanda-affected local government units in northern Cebu to fast-track the distribution of Emergency Shelter Assistance.

“We are appealing to the concerned LGUs who have received the funds to fast-track the ESA distribution,” DSWD-7 director Mercedita Jabagat said.

 DSWD has already released a total of P2.1 billion worth of ESA to Yolanda-stricken areas in northern Cebu.

Jabagat said some of the LGUs are currently conducting a “pay-out” and distribution of ESA to Yolanda victims. These are the towns of Bantayan, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tudela, Pilar, and the City of Bogo.

The ESA check for the municipality of Poro in Camotes is already available for distribution. For Sogod town, DSWD personnel will directly distribute the assistance on August 7.

DSWD is processing the documents for the towns of Tuburan and San Francisco and for the remaining balance for the towns of Sta. Fe and Tabuelan.

 The towns of Madridejos and Tabogon, on the other hand, have recently finished their ESA distribution.

Jabagat also encouraged those beneficiaries who were reportedly delisted from the official list of ESA to immediately report to the Municipal or City Social Welfare and Development Office for revalidation.

“We have received complaints from the affected families that their names are not in the master list or were changed from totally-damaged house to partially-damaged house. So, they are highly encouraged to report such incidents,” she said.

DSWD, however, clarified that not all affected families will receive the ESA. As stipulated in the ESA guidelines, only those Yolanda victims whose houses in “safe areas” were “partially damaged” are entitled to receive P10,000 while those whose houses were destroyed will get P30,000.

 The house renters or sharers will also receive the same amount provided that they are in the official DSWD list submitted by the LGUs.

Also eligible to get the ESA are families renting with the agency’s Disaster Family Access Card and contractual workers with no housing loans from government and private entities, regular workers from the public and private sector earning lower than P15,000 a month, provided they have not received same assistance from other agencies; lone survivors who are issued with DAFAC; and families with DAFAC who did self-repair.

 The DSWD memo’s eligibility clause cites that those families living in areas declared as hazard zone are automatically disqualified. (FREEMAN)