Release of cash, GI sheets as ESA decided by DSWD not Mayor Ondo

The 274,240 GI sheets awaiting distribution at the City
Engineering Office. (Photo by Dante Raden)

THE directive to cut the P15,000 benefit from the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) to P10,000 did not come from Mayor Edward "Ondo" Codilla but from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This was made clear by City Legal Officer Ivan Verallo who said that full discretion on the ESA lies on DSWD.

It may be recalled that last June 1, DSWD downloaded to Ormoc P689,369,934.25 which turned out to be insufficient as the number of families rose from 40,673 to 52,325 with the accommodation of more names in the master list, thus reducing the amount received by the beneficiaries.

With the concurrence of the 13^th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), it was decided that families whose houses were destroyed will receive P15,000 instead of P30,000, while those whose homes were damaged will get P10,000 instead of P15,000 on the premise that the remaining amounts will be requested from the national government thereafter.

DSWD also sent 274,240 GI sheets to make up for the fund gap. Now that the LGU has completed the distribution of ESA, DSWD announced it is ready to download another P289,840,000 for the second tranche. All that is needed is the authority from the SP to allow the mayor to enter into another Memorandum of Agreement with DSWD.

But because of the limited amount, this will be given only to beneficiaries classified under the destroyed home category. Moreover, instead of the entire remaining P15,000 to be given to the destroyed home beneficiaries, they will get only P10,000 cash and nine GI sheets which is equivalent to the P5,000 fund gap.

“Mao man gyud, napasanginlan ang mayor nga siya maoy nagbuot nga i-deduct [ang kantidad]. Dili gyud ni pagbuot ni mayor kay kita igo ra ta nidawat diri unsay ilang gisulti didto [sa DSWD]. So kami diri, nagsunod kung unsay pamalaod sa DSWD. Dili ni hinimo namo,” Verallo explained.

Mayor Codilla was even surprised by the turnout of events. “Even mayor nag-ingon siya: ‘Uy, ngano man ni? Niingon sila nung una libre ni(ng GI sheets). Karon, mao man diay’ Mao sad nay initial reaction pud ni mayor. So magsinabtanay lang tang tanan,” Verallo went on.

“Akong klarohon: mao ni ang giingon sa DSWD, dili gikan sa mayor. Atong huna-hunaon nga ang assistance nga gihatag sa atoa nagagikan sa DSWD, dili gikan sa syudad. So kung unsa ang ilang patakaran, sundon nato diri sa syudad og unsaon pag-distribute ana.

“Kay kung si mayor lang atong pabut-on, ihatag niya sa tanang tawo nga naapektuhan sa bagyo. Dili paibanan, dili pabayran. Pero tungod kay naa tay rules nga gisunod, higot ang mga kamot sa mayor. Kay kung dili musunod ang mayor sa patakaran sa DSWD, naay tulubagon ang atong mayor,” Verallo concluded.