DSWD: P15.609M cash aid given to Uwan victims in Pangasinan, La Union

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has disbursed over P15.609 million in emergency cash transfers (ECT) to residents of two areas in Pangasinan and La Union whose houses were damaged by then Super Typhoon Uwan earlier this month.

In a statement, the DSWD said P13.757 million was released for 2,613 residents of Binmaley, Pangasinan whose houses were partially damaged by storm surges caused by Uwan.

Another 243 beneficiaries in Barangay Agustin, City of San Fernando in La Union received P1.279 million in aid under the ECT program, while 109 beneficiaries in Barangay Poro in the same city received P573,885.

The assistance under the ECT program was apart from the family food packs (FFPs) distributed by the DSWD’s Field Office 1 in the Ilocos Region.

In a statement, the DSWD said the ECT aid is meant to help the affected families begin rebuilding their partially damaged houses.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited Pangasinan to supervise the distribution of ECT aid, assess the extent of the damage, and identify the needed government actions to expedite recovery efforts.

He also went to La Union to check on the status of the DSWD Field Office 1’s relief operations.

“Ang emergency cash transfer ay paunang lunas lamang po para matulungan ang ating mga kababayan na makapagpatayo muli ng kanilang mga nasirang tahanan dahil sa storm surges, o di kaya ay makapagsimulang muli,” DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said.

(The emergency cash transfer is only an initial relief to help our countrymen to rebuild their homes damaged due to storm surges, or to start life anew.)

Beneficiaries with totally damaged houses are entitled to P10,000 cash aid, while those with partially damaged homes will receive P5,000 under the ECT program.

The ECT assistance will complement the distribution of FFPs, ready-to-eat food (RTEF) packs, and non-food items (NFIs) to help affected families in rebuilding their lives.

“May iba pa pong assistance na darating mula sa iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan para masiguro na talagang makakabangon ang ating mga kababayan mula sa nagdaang bagyo,” Dumlao added.

(There will be additional assistance coming from other government agencies to help our countrymen recover from the recent typhoon.)

She assured that the DSWD is continuously monitoring communities hard hit by Uwan.

“Patuloy pong nagsasagawa ng monitoring ang DSWD sa tulong ng ating mga regional offices para matukoy kung may mga munisipalidad pa na talagang nangangailangan ng emergency cash transfers. Inuuna lang din natin itong mga nasa coastal areas ng bansa, pero makakaasa po ang ating mga benepisyaryo na bukas po ang pinto ng ating mga regional offices para mag-apply ng ECT,” Dumlao said.

(The DSWD will continue its monitoring, with the help of its regional offices, to determine if there are other municipalities that need emergency cash transfers. We are just prioritizing coastal areas, but our beneficiaries can be assured that our regional offices are open to those who will apply for ECT.)

Then Super Typhoon Uwan slammed into Luzon on Nov. 9 and eventually weakened into a typhoon as it crossed the Luzon landmass.

The death toll from Uwan has reached 27 as of Nov. 12 with 36 individuals injured. It affected more than 3.5 million people or over 1 million families in all regions except for Central Visayas and Davao Region. — JMA, GMA Integrated News