CamSur typhoon-affected residents receive cash aid

By Cet Dematera

A total of 1,097 typhoon-affected residents in Camarines Sur have received government cash assistance this week under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol amounting to P14.37 million.

Jimilyn Ortega Gerobin, DSWD-Bicol Disaster Response Management Division information officer, said 842 beneficiaries from Bato town and 255 more from Balatan town, both in Camarines Sur, had received P10,000 each under the emergency shelter assistance (ESA)- and Php3,100 each under the cash-for-work (CFW) programs.

“The amount of assistance under CFW was based on the Bicol regional daily wage rate (P 310.00/day) multiplied by 10 days of work,” Gerobin said.

Gerobin said that both ESA and CFW are early recovery programs of DSWD, providing assistance to disaster survivors to help them cope with the impacts of disasters.

“Moreover, ESA and CFW intend to reduce post-disaster risks by providing shelter to families with damaged houses,” she added.

Recipients of cash assistance said that they would use the money to buy additional materials to repair their houses that were damaged by past typhoons.

“The ESA and CFW beneficiaries are very happy when they received the cash aid,” Gerobin said.

Camarines Sur was one of the Bicol provinces worst hit by destructive typhoons Rolly, Quinta and Ulysses last year.

To cushion post-disaster displacement, various cash assistance were poured into the region by different government agencies led by DSWD and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), particularly the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) workers and the Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).