What we need to know about the ESA

What is DAFAC?

DAFAC stands for Disaster Assistance and Family Access Card, a system used by DSWD to validate the status of families affected by typhoon Yolanda which will serve as reference for the provision of appropriate interventions.

What is ESA?

ESA stands for Emergency Shelter Assistance, a program which began in the late ‘70s to help family victims of disasters to repair their damaged houses. The program is being implemented by DSWD up to now. In the case of typhoon Yolanda, the DAFAC is essential to identify qualified beneficiaries.

How does ESA work?

The national government will approve funds for ESA to be downloaded to the local government units (LGU) for distribution to DAFAC-holder beneficiaries subject to the guidelines provided for by DSWD Memorandum Circular No. 24 s. 2014.

How much are the Yolanda victims entitled to receive in ESA?

DSWD Memo No. 24 clearly provides that families whose houses were totally damaged by the typhoon will get P30,000 and P10,000 for households whose homes were partially damaged. Thus,

Totally damaged  - P30,000.00

Partially damaged -  10,000.00

Rumors are circulating that the amount due to the victims is supposed to be double.

In his visit to Tacloban during the first year commemoration of typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8, 2014, Hon. Panfilo Lacson declared that he will recommend that the ESA be increased to P70,000 for totally damaged homes and P30,000 for partially damaged. Nothing has been heard of it since then until Lacson resigned as Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery. This means that his recommendation did not take off.

Why did the release of the ESA take almost 1½ year after typhoon Yolanda?

Funding for the ESA is contained in the P170.9 billion Yolanda rehabilitation plan which President Aquino approved on Oct. 29, 2014.

Why is the release of the ESA taking so long in Ormoc?

The delay is due to the disparity in the number of beneficiaries submitted to DSWD. Back when the deadline for registration to the DAFAC was on July 2014, the data submitted by CSWDO was:

  26,541 - partially damaged

+14,132 - totally damaged

  40,673 - TOTAL

However, CSWDO opened anew the registration for DAFAC upon the clamor of thousands of Ormocanons who failed to make the July 2014 deadline. A new deadline was set on Sept. 15, 2014. Meanwhile, DSWD conducted an assessment to validate the actual number of partially damaged and totally damaged homes in Ormoc.

With more DAFAC holders because of the extension of deadline along with the assessment of households done by DSWD, the number of beneficiaries increased thus:

  23,323 - partially damaged

+29,029 - totally damaged

  52,325 - TOTAL

Did the new figure pose a problem in the release of the ESA?

Unfortunately, yes. The Office of the Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery approved the release of P689,369,934.25 for ESA in Ormoc based on the first data submitted by CSWDO. This means that the amount didn’t cover the additional 11,652 beneficiaries. Mayor Ondo doesn't want that this huge number of beneficiaries to be left out.

Will the Ormocanons ever receive their share of the ESA?

Yes, of course. Mayor Ondo came up with a scheme that would allow all qualified beneficiaries to receive their share. This would mean, however, that households belonging to the “totally damaged” category will have to receive only P15,713.25 instead of P30,000 each. The formula for the proposal will thus be:

Partially Damaged - 23,323 x P10,000.00 =   P233,230,000.00

Totally Damaged    - 29,029  x   15,713.25 = +  456,139,934.25

                                                                             P689,369,934.25

Considering that households categorized under “Totally Damaged” are supposed to get P30,000, is there a chance for them to receive the P15,000 balance based on Mayor Ondo’s proposal?

To compensate for the fund shortage, households under the “Totally Damaged” category will also receive 15 GI sheets. Moreover, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman assured Mayor Ondo that she will lobby for additional budget from Congress to complete the P30,000 due to the beneficiaries.

Does the political rivalry among city officials have something to do with the delay in the release of the ESA?

No. Mayor Ondo and the opposition-dominated Sangguniang Panlungsod are one in their resolve to release the ESA as soon as possible.

So when will the ESA be released finally?

Considering that Secretary Soliman has approved Mayor Codilla’s proposal in principle, it is only a matter of time before the funds are released once all the necessary paperwork are completed.