ESA master list will still undergo ‘cleansing’ -- Pepito

THE master list for the ESA is not yet final and will still be subject for “cleansing.” This was the decision reached by the technical working group (TWG) formed by Mayor Edward C. Codilla tasked to address the problems in the master list. The TWG is made up of officers of the Association of Barangay Chairmen.

Controversy arose when it was deemed that the master list did not conform to the provisions of Memorandum Circular no. 24 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) entitled Guidelines for the Implementation of the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) Project for Families with Partially and Totally Damaged Houses Due to Typhoon Yolanda.

The guidelines provides, among others, that only families with a monthly income of less than P15,000 can benefit from ESA. But the master list contained names of prominent personalities known to be earning more than P15,000 a month. On the other hand, names of heads of poor families did not make it to the list.

City Administrator Francis Pepito clarified that DSWD prepared the master list based on the Disaster Assistance and Family Access Card (Dafac) submitted by survivors of typhoon Yolanda. The Dafac is the reference used by DSWD in providing relief aid to typhoon victims.

To come up with the master list, DSWD used as basis the Dafac which all Yolanda victims are eligible to fill up and submit, notwithstanding the guidelines provided for by Memo Circular no. 24, reason why names of prominent personalities made it to the master list, Pepito explained.

Aside from families who earn at least P15,000, others who are disqualified from receiving the ESA based on the guidelines are those who live in danger zones and bunkhouses, and those who have received shelter units from government and non-government organizations.

Atty. Pepito also clarified that the distribution of ESA is per family, not just per household as provided for in Section IV (Eligibility) no. 2 of the guidelines which states: “Families who are renting or sharing houses which are totally or partially damaged provided they are listed in the official DSWD list sourced through the DSWD-Disaster Family Access Card (DAFAC) submitted by the LGUs as renters or sharers of houses within safe or controlled areas;”

With barangay chairmen volunteering to eliminate disqualified names in their communities, it is expected that the number of beneficiaries in the master list will be reduced to a minimum. But Atty. Pepito stressed that the local government unit (LGU) can delete names but cannot add names.

This is in response to suggestions that the deleted names be replaced with qualified names. “Dili puwede ilisan ang listahan kay di man ato ang kuwarta,” Atty. Pepito said, adding that the LGU will work towards that end. “Mananghid gyud ta sa tag-iya sa kuwarta  ug sa naghimo sa programa. Paniguroan gyud nato nga ang kuwarta nga masobra magamit na para mahatag na nato sa mga kuwalipikado pero wala mabutang sa master list. Mao na ang gusto mahitabo ni mayor.”

Atty. Pepito further appealed to the Ormocanons for sobriety while the TWG fixes the problems. “Mangayo gyud mi ninyo og tabang nga kini nga problema masulbad. Dili ta mutuo sa mga istorya nga kahibalo ta nga malisyoso. Dili ta mutuo sa mga istorya gikan sa kilid-kilid. Mangadto gyud ta sa atong mga barangay officials para maklaro gyud.”