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Jan . 23 - 28 , 2017
For ‘ Ruby ’ victims
DSWD : ESA out in Feb
Vanguard
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Victims of Typhoon Ruby in Calbayog fall in line for their goodies .
By Gina Dean
Calbayog City - The long wait appears to be over . Typhoon Ruby ’ s Emergency Shelter Assistance ( ESA ) for Calbayog City will soon be released this February to more than 10,000 beneficiaries .
Unlike other LGUs , however , it took two years before the DSWD-8 confirmed that the budget has been downloaded by the national office , pending release due to needed documents .
Engr . Bethsabee Delgado said Cong . Edgar Mary Sarmiento coordinated with the DSWD secretary to verify the budget status intended for family victims of typhoon Ruby .
“ Cong . Sarmiento was personally informed by Gene Navilon of DYOG- Calbayog on the grievances of some typhoon victims which have been posted in Facebook and aired over the radio . The congressman immediately called the secretary ’ s office in December hoping for the check release on or before 2017 ,” Delgado said .
Delgado added that the typhoon ’ s impact has caused destruction to 10 , 418 families , incurring some P81 million total damage . Based on the guidelines , a Special Order from the DSWD secretary should be issued authorizing the regional director to release above the P50 million budget allocation per LGU . In the absence of said S . O ., no ESA will be downloaded for the victims , he said .
While waiting for the release of such fund , others expressed frustration for they were not included in said assistance . The barangay , which was mandated to conduct inspection in determining the degree of damage to shelters , appeared to have chosen to identify the victims based on partisan politics .
Myrna Octaviano , Purok president of Brgy . San Policarpo , this city , revealed that she was dismayed why her name was not in the list when her house was wiped out by the typhoon .
“ Nakita ngan nabasa ko an mga ngaran sa listahan ug kadam-an nga waray didto an pareho sa akon nga waray na balay nga gin-uukyan kay naanod san baha . Ginhangyo ka pa an barangay secretary nga ilista akon ngaran pero nagbaribad la kay an instruction daw san kapitan unahon an adto naukoy sa gilid san baybay . Ginsumat ko sa social welfare and development office an ira gin-
himo pero an barangay man gud an nagbubuot kun sino an ira karuyag ilista . Mayda ngani didto waray mga pamilya ngan ulitawo pa nga ira ginlista . Tama ba iton ? Kakuri dinhe sa aton kay hasta yana namumulitika la gihapon ,” Octaviano said .
( I saw and read the list of names and majority of those not listed were like me whose houses were wiped out by the flood . I requested the barangay secretary to include me in the list but she refused saying the barangay captain wanted to give priority to those living near the coast . She reported the matter to the DSWD but it was the barangay officials who made the decision on whom to include in the list . There is even a bachelor with no family in the list . Is this right ? How difficult it is here as partisan politics continues .)
Octaviano disclosed further that since 2014 , her family had been staying with relatives because she still could not afford to construct a “ makeshift house ”.
For their part , CSWD Officer Betty Jane Arnejo clarified that assessment of beneficiaries was based on the report submitted by the barangay . Specific eligible requirements are family owners , family sharers and renters with three months minimum occupancy period prior to the onslaught of typhoon “ Ruby .”
Typhoon victims may inquire further from the DSWD office regarding the criteria to avail of the ESA .
Arnejo added that prioritization of criteria are families with totally damaged houses , death of family member / s due to typhoon “ Ruby ”, fully orphaned child-survivors living alone or under the care of surrogate parents , a female-headed family , a single parent-led family , a family with three ( 3 ) or more members below the age of twelve ( 12 ) years old , family with differently-abled members , a family with a senior citizen , and house owners .
For Calbayog City with more than 10,000 recipients , Arnejo said that each recipient for totally damaged house shall receive P15,400 , while the partially damage is P7,700 .
Due to budgetary limitation , the Sangguniang Panlungsod has passed a resolution to the DSWD-Field Office for its approval , adopting a prorated assistance for families with totally and partially damaged houses .
Once the check is downloaded to
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Forester Alejandro K . Bautista Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer CENRO , Baybay City
Maasin joins Zero Waste Month
MAASIN CITY , Southern Leyte ( PIA ) – Relative to the National Zero Waste Month celebrated this January , the city government of Maasin set a clean-up activity around the city proper on January 20 , 2017 .
The National Zero Waste Month will also celebrate the anniversary of the approval of Republic Act 9003 or known as the Ecologial Solid Waste Management of 2000 every 26th day of January , said Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado in a letter sent to PIA .
the city , distribution of ESA will push through as scheduled on the following dates ; February 3-5 Oquendo Covered Court ( Oquendo District ), February 8-10 San Joaquin Covered Court ( Tinambacan District ), and February 13-17 Convention Center or Jogger ’ s ( Calbayog District ), Arnejo added . #
The clean-up activity which enjoins all sectors in the locality is aimed to mobilize sectors of society to get involved in eliminating garbage and establish an efficient and sustainable solid waste management scheme .
PIA-Southern Leyte employees together with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Department of Education-Maasin City Division employees are tasked to clean the surroundings of Tambakan area , in Barangay Combado .
It was learned that every year the national and local government in cooperation with non-government organizations and other sectors in the society came up with activities to support these environmental event .
The city government of Maasin identified participants who will be joining the clean-up as well as the area assignments .#