Families in Tacloban to receive housing aid

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – All families from this city seeking housing assistance from the government will have their own share before the end of April.

This was the assurance made by Chona Bahin, assistant social welfare officer of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, when asked about the status of the release of emergency shelter assistance (ESA).

Bahin said that only few families whose houses were partially damaged have yet to receive their ESA worth P10,000 ($226.04)*.

She added that those who are to receive their share are families living in barangays 109 and 109-A, both located in V&G Subdivision, private and public employees who are receiving below P15,000 ($339.06) salaries, and those who were missed out during the previous distribution.

Bahin, however, could not say how families will receive their ESA before the end of this month. (READ: More than a year after Yolanda: Home sweet home?)

She, however, said that 22,000 families have now received their P10,000 cash assistance since they started distribution.

The national government provided P315 million ($7.12 million) intended for families whose houses were partially damaged due to Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) more than a year ago. (READ: What made Tacloban so vulnerable to Haiyan?)

Beneficiaries

Bahin stressed that they determined who beneficiaries were on the basis of reports by barangay chairmen which were, in turn, validated by staff of the City Engineering Office and their own office.

Meantime, Bahin also clarified that the Disaster Assistance and Family Access Card (DAFAC) is not the assistance that the victims would receive. 

DAFAC is a card issued by the local government unit to disaster victims. These cards indicate general information about the family head and family members, as well as the assistance provided to/received by the family from various providers.

Through the DAFAC, one can monitor if the family is under-served or over-served as it also confirms if a family is a victim of disaster and is eligible to receive relief assistance. – Rappler.com

*US$ 1 = P44.24