Marawi gets Oxfam, PayMaya aid

To help in the rehabilitation of internally displaced people (IDP) in the city of Marawi a year after the armed conflict broke out, international aid organization Oxfam in cooperation with PayMaya Philippines, Philippine Risk Reduction Network and other partners recently launched a financial assistance program aimed at purchasing food, basic needs, and livelihood back with the help of cashless technologies.

Through the Inclusive and Affordable Financial Facilities for Resilient and Developed Filipinos (iAFFORD) and Financial Inclusion for the Recovery of Marawi (FIRM) Project, at least 15,000 internally displaced families will benefit from the distribution of iAFFORD cards, an all-in-one ID and PayMaya VISA card where they can immediately receive financial assistance from governments and other aid agencies.

The iAFFORD cards provide a mechanism for residents to transact for business and day-to-day needs, which is crucial in helping rehabilitate their lives and livelihood. Aside from serving as a payment card, the iAFFORD cards also serve as identification for the beneficiaries, which is often one of the first to go missing in places ravaged by calamity, disaster or armed conflict.

The project has also partnered with Smart Padala to serve as the fastest means for beneficiaries to access financial services by adding money to or withdraw funds from their accounts as the formal community-based financial infrastructure in the evacuation centers, resettlement sites and other area undergoing rehabilitation.