Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo flew to Negros Island Region (NIR) on Monday this week to lead the distribution of the P5,000 Presidential Financial Assistance (5KPFA) to the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda in Sagay City, Negros Occidental who have not received help from the government.
The 5KPFA is the financial aid intended for ‘Yolanda’-affected households in Regions VI, VII, VIII, and Negros Island Region (NIR) who have not received the government’s Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) since the typhoon hit the country in 2013. The assistance is funded by P1 billion from the Socio Civic Funds of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
“Masusi po nating sinuri ang listahan ng mga tatanggap ng pinansyal na tulong na ito sa pakikipagtulungan sa iba’t-ibang People’s Organizations (PO) upang matiyak na ang mga makatatanggap lamang ay iyong hindi pa nakakuha ng tulong mula sa gobyerno. Para sa kanila ito (We have evaluated the list of beneficiaries carefully with the help of different POs to ensure that the recipients of this financial assistance will only be those who have not received any help from the government. This is for them),” Sec. Taguiwalo said.
The Secretary, together with DSWD Field Office (FO) NIR Officer-in-Charge Regional Director, Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, led the distribution of the cash card for the assistance to 592 beneficiaries, most of whom are members of the Pamalakaya Group of Sagay, an alliance of fisherfolks in the city.
Monday’s payout, which was held at the Barangay Old Sagay Covered Court, was the fifth distribution of the assistance by FO NIR. The field office conducted the sixth distribution of the aid on Tuesday at the same venue.
FO NIR recoded a total of 5,228 eligible beneficiaries in Negros Occidental, amounting to a total of P26,140,000 cost of assistance. Of this number, 4,725 will receive the assistance through cash cards, while 503 will get direct cash payouts.
The beneficiaries include 3,614 households in Sagay City; 1,004 in the Municipality of E.B. Magalona; 291 in Murcia; and 122 in Victorias City. Meanwhile, there are 114 eligible beneficiaries in Silay City, 75 in Bago City, and eight in Salvador Benedicto.
According to Sec. Taguiwalo, most of the beneficiaries of the assistance are members of POs who stood up and fought for their rights to receive help from the government.
“Tuloy po ang pagsisikap ng DSWD na matulungan ang mga kababayan nating sinalanta ng bagyong Yolanda noong 2013, ngunit hindi nakatanggap ng kahit anong tulong mula sa gobyerno. Batay na rin sa tagubilin ni Pres. Duterte, bibigyan ng P5,000 ang may 200,000 sa mga kababayan nating hindi sumuko sa pagigiit na makakuha ang assistance mula pa noong 2013 — sila po ang mga lumahok sa mga dialogue, mga forum, mga rally, at iba pang mga ligal, wasto, at demokratikong porma ng pagpapaabot ng hinaing sa pamahalaan (We continue to strive to help our fellow citizens who had been affected by ‘Yolanda’ in 2013, but have not received help up to now. As per the instruction of Pres. Duterte, we will give P5,000 to about 200,000 household victims. The beneficiaries are those who took part in dialogues, forums, rallies and other democratic ways of extending grievances to the government),” Sec. Taguiwalo explained.
DSWD Field Offices in Regions VI, VII, and VIII have also started the distribution of the financial assistance to the beneficiaries in their respective region since March of this year.
After leading the distribution of the 5KPFA, Sec. Taguiwalo graced the city’s kick-off celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week, where she gave an inspirational message to persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their families present during the event.###
