CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) is ready to release the first batch of financial assistance for victims of super typhoon Odette (International name: Rai).
According to DSWS Head, Portia Basmayor, the funds were prepared by the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) on Tuesday December 28, 2021.
They are awaiting the go signal of Mayor Michael Rama for the release, though in previous statements, the mayor already instructed the immediate release of funds as soon as the money is available.
“As of now wala pa ta kasugod. Pero naa na ang kwarta nga P38 million, good for 7,615 beneficiaries for 18 barangays,” said Basmayor in an interview with CDN Digital.
(As of now, we haven’t started. But the funds worth P38 million are there, good for 7,615 beneficiaries of 18 barangays.)
Each household will receive P5,000.
These are the barangays that have submitted their full list of beneficiaries so far:
North
Budlaan – 113
Sirao – 110
Pulangbato – 457
Binaliw – 452
Guba – 513
Capitol site – 492
Cogon Ramos – 113
Sambag 2 – 349
Talamban – 344
Paril – 143
Cambinocot – 914
Kamagayan – 225
South
Pamutan – 459
Sinsin – 679
Pung-ol Sibugay – 833
Tagbao – 243
Sudlon II – 978
Pahina San Nicolas – 198
Basmayor said residents in these villages will be the first to receive the financial assistance as soon as the distribution starts.
Following the first batch, at least 22 other barangays will immediately follow.
Even before the financial assistance is released, the DSWS is already distributing relief goods to some areas in the city through packs donated by national agencies and private businesses.
Recently, they distributed packs to 1,000 families in Barangay Sudlon I and 600 families in Barangay Sinsin.
The DSWS urged the barangays to already submit a list of victim households in their jurisdiction so that they will be allocated financial assistance.
The city has budgeted P600 million for financial assistance alone for an estimated 100,000 to 115,000 families.
/bmjo
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