Long queues greet Odette victims in Cebu City

Victims of super typhoon Odette in Barangay Basak San Nicolas lineup outside of their barangay gymnasium to claim their P5, 000 cash aid. | CDND photo / Rick Gabuya

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Jovita Bacalso was eager to already receive her share of the cash aid that the Cebu City government promised to families that were affected by super typhoon Odette.

She did not mind having to wait in line for at least an hour before she finally made it inside the gymnasium in Barangay Basak San Nicolas to receive cash amounting to P5, 000.

Bacalso, who waited in line starting at about 8 a.m., said it was all worth it because the cash aid was a big help for her family.

Arthur Velloso of Barangay Mambaling also shared Bacalso’s appreciation.

“Nalipay ko kay naa tawn koy ikabayad sa among electric tawn,” he said.

Bacalso and Veloso were among the hundreds of Cebu City residents who trooped to their respective barangay gymnasiums on Saturday, the resumption of the distribution of financial assistance to families that were affected by Odette that hit Cebu and parts of the Visayas on December 16, 2021.

Distribution of the cash aid was scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The first batch of the distribution of the cash aid was made in January, but the distribution for the succeeding batches were suspended during the campaign season.

Aid Distribution

On Saturday morning, hundreds trooped to the gymnasiums of 18 barangays in Cebu City for the resumption of the distribution of the P5, 000 cash aid.

Eager recipients crowded the gymnasiums in Barangays Agsungot, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Guadalupe, Guba, Hipodromo, Inayawan, Lahug, Mabolo, Mambaling, Pahina Central, Poblacion Pardo, Quiot, San Jose, Sapangdaku, Sudlon II, and Talamban as early as 7 a.m.

A total of 30,226 beneficiaries were scheduled to receive the cash aid on Saturday.

Personnel coming from different offices at the Cebu City Hall were deployed to facilitate the distribution of the cash aid.

Meanwhile, 3,005 beneficiaries from Barangay Tisa received their share of assistance from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).  The amount that they received was computed based on the number of household members.

Requirements

Recipients were asked to present a valid identification card as a requirement.

For listed beneficiaries, who already died, surviving spouses were asked to submit a death certificate. An authorization letter was also required for claimants other than the surviving spouse.

In case of discrepancies in the spelling of their names, the claimants were requirement to secure an affidavit of undertaking signed by their designated barangay official and the Department of Social Welfare and Services.

Another round of cash aid distribution is scheduled from June 6 to 9, still at the designated barangay gymnasiums.

Recipients are advised to follow their distribution schedules.

Unclaimed allocations will be reverted to the city’s coffers and it may take sometime to again process and facilitate the release of said allocation.

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