CamSur typhoon victims await DSWS’s shelter aid

By Paulo DS Papa

Some 160,905 individuals in Camarines Sur whose houses were listed as partially damaged by Typhoon Rolly last year are still waiting for the emergency shelter assistance (ESA) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Marites Quismorio, DSWD Bicol social welfare officer IV and disaster response management division chief, told Bicol Mail that the budget for distribution of ESA for typhoon victims with partially damaged houses in the province, including the 12,282 similarly situated residents in Naga City, is not yet released by the national government.

She said the ESA distributed to 20,200 beneficiaries with totally damaged houses in the province last week, which included 1,292 recipients in Naga City, was long overdue.

Quismorio said that that last year, they prioritized ESA distribution in the provinces of Albay and Catanduanes, which were severely devastated by the typhoon.

To recall, some 10,000 small houses along the coastline of Catanduanes were washed out while some 30,000 larger houses were also damaged by the typhoon.

Another DSWD official, Lloyd Lara, said the amount of P202 million was allotted by the DSWD Bicol for owners of totally damaged houses in Camarines Sur.

He said each recipient, was given shelter cash assistance worth P13,100 under ESA.