UNICEF to extend cash assistance to Yolanda victims

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will extend financial assistance to 5,800 Yolanda-affected households in Eastern Samar.

UNICEF’s unconditional cash transfer will be provided to beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who were worst affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), through the DSWD.

The 5,801 beneficiaries are from the municipalities of Guiuan, Hernani, Mercedes, Balangkayan and Salcedo. The identified beneficiaries come from vulnerable households who are unable to meet their food and essential non-food needs.

Through a memorandum of agreement signed by UNICEF and DSWD, each household beneficiary will receive P4,400 monthly, on top of the regular cash grant provided by the 4Ps. The cash distribution will run concurrently with 4Ps pay-outs. The additional cash grant will be given for six months or until the end of the year.

The UNICEF-DSWD partnership expands from the 10,000 households currently supported by UNICEF’s unconditional cash transfer program in Leyte. Implemented with UNICEF partner, Action Contre La Faim (ACF), it provides a similar cash grant over six months.

“The unconditional transfer of cash to carefully selected families allows them to take a step back from the decisions they have to make after Yolanda, given their loss of property, savings and livelihood,” UNICEF Philippine Representative Lotta Sylwander said.

The unconditional cash transfer program in Leyte shows that with very low household incomes, half of the transfers are being spent on food, while the rest are spent on shelter, health care, education and savings.

UNICEF’s commitment

“These efforts complement the recovery efforts of the 4Ps toward improving the country’s human capital by keeping poor children in school, and giving them medical assistance, while extending immediate financial support to their families,” Sylwander said.

Through the program, UNICEF supports the 4Ps in its current recovery phase activities and remains committed to its work to advance the welfare of children.

“Through our collaboration with DSWD, we demonstrate our commitment to reach more children and families in the most direct way possible, including advancing their rights to determine and fulfill their immediate recovery needs,” Sylwander said.