The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to provide Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) to families whose homes were partially and totally damaged during the onslaught of Tropical Depression Usman.

This was confirmed by DSWD spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Glenda Relova as part of the relief efforts of the government to help survivors to return to their normal lives.

“Kapag maayos na ang mga lugar na binaha ay bababa ang ating mga kawani sa DSWD upang magsagawa ng komprehensibong assessment sa mga damages na nakuha ng mga kabahayan dahil sa bagyo upang malaman kung ito ay partially o totally damaged at upang mabigyan sila ng emergency shelter assistance ng DSWD (Once the weather condition returns to normal, personnel from the DSWD will go to the affected areas to hold a comprehensive assessment and determine if the damaged houses are partially or totally damaged. This will be the basis for the amount of emergency shelter assistance that the affected families will receive),”  Asec. Relova said.

As of the latest report of the DSWD Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), there are already 11,312 reported damaged houses in Regions CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, and VIII which are set to be assessed by the DSWD in coordination with their respective local government units (LGUs).

The Department is also continuously delivering food and non-food items to affected LGUs. It also continues to conduct psychosocial interventions in evacuation centers. Processing of financial aid for medical and burial assistance is also ongoing in affected regions.

To date, aid given by the DSWD now amounts to P30,932,864.94.

Meanwhile, Asec. Relova encouraged the public to work hand-in-hand with the government to intensify relief efforts for the families affected by the recent disasters.

“Hinihikayat po namin ang ating mga kababayan na nais tumulong na pagsamahin ang ating mga efforts para sa higit na mas sustenableng pagtulong sa ating mga nangangailangang kababayan. Patuloy tayong makilahok sa mga programa ng ating pamahalaan at magkaroon tayo ng responsibilidad sa bawat isa dahil sa pamamaraang ito mas ma-mimitigate natin ang magiging mga problema natin sa kalamidad sa darating na panahon (We are encouraging the public to work together and combine our efforts in providing sustainable assistance to our countrymen in need. We enjoin everyone to continue to participate in government programs and to learn to take responsibility for each other in order to lessen the impact brought by disasters in the future),” she ended. ###