P864-M shelter aid released for 3 Bicol provinces

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office for Bicol has released P864M in funding for its Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) for households whose houses were partially damaged by Typhoon “Nina”. DSWD Regional Director Arnel Garcia, in an interview, said the department formally transferred the first tranche of the ESA to the provincial governments of Albay, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. “For Catanduanes, we have P83M, Camarines Sur with P533M, and for Albay, we have P248M -- for a total of P864 million,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Eva Grageda, provincial social welfare chief of Albay, said they are finalizing the schedule of payouts to the residents of the municipalities with partially damaged houses during the onslaught of Typhoon Nina in Albay. DSWD said those whose houses were partially damaged by Typhoon Nina last December 2016 received P10,000; while each household whose houses were totally damaged got P30,000.