Bantayan Mayor Negates Report that Town Received ESA

Bantayan Mayor Christopher Escario yesterday negated reports that the town has already received its emergency shelter assistance (ESA) from the national government.

“Contrary to what is circulating, it is not true that the fund of covering ESA was already downloaded to the account of the Municipality of Bantayan,” said Escario.

“For the information of the public, to date, only six out of 16 LGUs in the northern Cebu have received their ESA and definitely Bantayan is not among the six,” he said.

Escario also challenged these “people or groups behind this misinformation campaign” to show proof, or produce documents or maybe cite names that they have already received the funding which amounted to millions.

“If indeed it is true that the fund is already deposited in our coffers, our employees who are also ESA beneficiaries themselves should have been the first ones to know and should have been the first to push for its release,” he said.

Escario, in an interview with The Freeman, said the news was spread by local radio broadcasters who allegedly repeatedly announced in their program that Bantayan’s ESA was already downloaded to its coffers. The mayor said this gave the impression that the town is pocketing the entire amount, which is not true as the “normal process” for the release of Yolanda-related funds, like what was done with the six local government units which already received their ESA, is that the Department of Social Welfare and Development issues a check in the name of the recipient municipality, and not download the amount.

With this controversy, Escario said they are now requesting the DSWD to personally do the allocation with the LGU assisting it in the course of distribution.

Escario believed the issue is “politically-motivated” or started by individuals who have a high stake on the subject amount. The mayor said he already received reports that there are individuals who bought the promised amount from the victims at amount a lot lesser than the promised value. He said the P10,000 financial assistance, for example, is sold for P7,000.

In other towns which already received their ESA, the partially damaged was given P5,000, while the totally damaged got P10,000 each. But Escario said the victims are reportedly selling their aid at a higher amount, after it was reported that the national government has increased the value from P10,000 and P30,000 to the partially and totally damaged, respectively.

Meanwhile, Escario also appealed to the DSW to give an update if they have already released to funding so local mayors are also informed. Of the 16 LGUs in the north affected by Yolanda, only six have gotten their ESA so far, some were only given partial, said Escario.

“We also appeal to the DSWD in coming up with an official declaration corroborating our statement, in the interest of fairness,” the mayor said.