Town beneficiaries lose emergency aid

DSWD disqualifies families living on danger zones

MORE than half of the identified beneficiaries of the emergency shelter assistance (ESA) in Bantayan town, Bantayan Island will be disqualified.

Bantayan Mayor Christopher Ian Escario went to five of his barangays yesterday to explain why some beneficiaries in the original list will be disqualified.

He intends to give the same explanation to the rest of the 20 barangays in his town.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) released a new set of guidelines for the release of ESA, which disqualifies families living on danger zones and those with monthly income of at least P15,000.

Kangkaibe Barangay Captain Eliseo Necesario said that the original list he submitted include teachers, policemen and overseas Filipino workers whose houses were damaged or destroyed by typhoon Yolanda.

“Ang bagyo baya walay gipili madato ka o pobre ba (A Typhoon does not choose its victims, whether you are rich or poor),” Necesario said realizing that some of the beneficiaries in his list will not get anything from the government.

“Some people had to loan to build a new house,” said Sillon Barangay Captain Vivian Batayola.

They were banking on the ESA to pay off the loan.

Escario is yet to claim the P375-million ESA al- ready available at the DSWD 7.

The ESA is for families whose houses were destroyed or damaged by typhoon Yolanda on Nov. 8, 2013.

Escario and his councilors visited Barangays Atop-atop, Tamiao, Kangkaibe, Sillon and Baigad to tell residents and typhoon victims who waited for the release of ESA funds of the new guidelines.

Marlon Pacaña, the mayor's executive assistant, said that the residents became impatient while waiting for the ESA.

More than half of Bantayan residents live near the sea or within the 40-meter danger zone.

Pacaña said that Escario explained to his con- stituents that he wants to protect the interest of 17,650 households affected by typhoon Yolanda.

“Who will be getting the excess amount? The money is already there,” Atop-atop Barangay Captain Rodolfo Dessbille said.

It was the National Government that came up with the P375-million ESA based on the original list submitted to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery.

Batayola, who also lost her home from the 2013 super typhoon, said some of them are planning to write to the President about their plight.

Desabille also wondered why there was a change in the guidelines.