Bantayan mayor decries shelter assistance cap

Mayor Ian Christopher G. Escario and Bantayan social welfare officer Magdalena Derecho explain their concerns on the emergency shelter assistance for supertyphoon Yolanda victims. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

Another northern Cebu mayor has expressed his sentiments on what he calls “unfair” guidelines in the distribution of financial aid under Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) program of the national government.

Mayor Ian Christopher Escario of Bantayan town clarified that he does not want to collect the P375-million financial aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) due to a provision in the omnibus guidelines that those who earn P15,000 above are not eligible to receive assistance.

“We want the money to reach the affected families. However, if the money is coursed through the municipality and we give some to families with income over P15,000, then we will be questioned by COA,” he told reporters yesterday.

Escario said that the amount might be disallowed and he might also be charged with plunder by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The municipality of Bantayan has identified 17,650 families whose houses were either partially or totally damaged.

Those with partially damaged houses will receive P10,000 while those totally damaged will get P30,000 each.

Mayor Escario said that those who are not eligible but were included in the list submitted by the town to DSWD would really complain their sudden exclusion.