Northern Cebu Mayors Seek PB Help in Amending DSWD ESA Rules

Some mayors of Yolanda-hit areas in northern Cebu have asked the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) to help them amend the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) guidelines so all the affected families will receive the emergency shelter assistance (ESA).

One of the conditions in the guidelines is that only a family with an income of Php15,000 a month and below will qualify for the ESA.

The mayors said more than half of their constituents would be disqualified from receiving the ESA under this condition.

The ESA is Php10,000 for those whose houses were damaged by the typhoon and Php30,000 for those whose houses were destroyed.

Mayors Ricky Ramirez of Medellin, Rex Gerona of Tabuelan, Mariano Martinez of San Remigio, Augusto Corro of Daanbantayan, Salvador Dela Fuente of Madridejos, Ian Christopher Escario of Bantayan and Jose Esgana of Santa Fe appeared before the Cebu PB Monday upon invitation of PB Member Sun Shimura.

Shimura told the PB he received text messages saying there are recipients in his district who complained they cannot receive the ESA although they are in the list of beneficiaries because of the DSWD guidelines.

Mayor Ramirez of Medellin said almost all of his employees cannot receive the aid because of the guidelines.

He said the mayors will be blamed by the people if they will only give the assistance to those who qualified even though other residents are included in the master list of beneficiaries.

Mayor Escario of Bantayan said he did not claim the check as almost 60 percent of his constituents don’t qualify for the aid.

“We are appealing to the PB to help us how to amend these guidelines,” Mayor Esgana of Santa Fe said.

Shimura has filed a motion requesting DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman to release ESA “to all those original signatories affected by typhoon Yolanda who are entitled of the assistance irrespective of the income and other criteria specified in the guidelines issued by the said department.” (PNA) FPV/EB