Card MRI releases P18M aid for Urduja, Vinta victims
A TOTAL of P18-million assistance was released by Card Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (Card MRI) to its more than 50,000 microfinance clients affected by typhoon Urduja and tropical storm Vinta.
In the January 11, 2018 claims settlement report of Card Mutual Benefit Association (Card MBA), 34,000 Card clients in Mindoro, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Batangas, Capiz, Masbate, and Antique have been affected by typhoon Urduja and more than 16,000 from Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao, North Cotabato, Lanao, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay were strucked by Vinta.
“Majority of the affected clients came from those areas strucked by Urduja,” said Marilyn Manila, disaster response chair, adding that 17 of its clients and their dependents did not survive the catastrophe.
The total number of affected policy holders for re-house reached 1,773 with claims payment amounting to P2.518 million. Also, more than P15 million was allotted for relief packs for all affected clients.
We are glad to have responded immediately to the needs of our clients. “Strategically, all our unit offices within the areas crossed by the typhoon and tropical storm were packing relief goods enough to cover the clients they serve,” added Manila.
With the success of its 1-3-5 day claims settlement strategy, Card MBA launched a new strategy in mid 2017, the 8-24 hour claims settlement.
The new strategy aims to pay all the claims due of its policy holders within eight hours and maximum of 24 hours right after any incident that would cost their lives and properties.
The Urduja and Vinta incident marked 96.5% accomplishment.
“What we have achieved is already worth celebrating. We will, however, continue to push ourselves more and do the best efforts we can to pay all the claims within the given timeframe,” said May Dawat, chief executive officer of Card MBA.
The day after Urduja and Vinta left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), all the executive heads of Card went straight to the affected areas to check the status of its clients and operations.
“That was also our way of listening to our clients especially on the things they need, which we do not cover at the moment but might be a welcome initiative for us to consider in the future,” said Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip, founder and chair of Card MRI.
For the meantime, moratorium of loan collections have been raised for affected clients.
“We are just waiting for the request of our operations staff on list of members who will be under moratorium,” said Vicente Briones, deputy executive director of Card, Inc.
Affected clients may also avail calamity loan and housing improvement loan with longer terms. Moreover, Card MRI, through the CardMRI Development Institute (CMDI), is also working on the possible modules that would assist the clients of Card in coping up with the situation.
“The module will also help our clients in thinking alternative efforts, in case their major source of income is damaged, to sustain their daily living,” Alip said. PR