The Bacolod City government will launch a week-long Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance distribution, Friday, December 12 for families whose houses were destroyed and damaged by Typhoon “Tino”.
The distribution will be undertaken by the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR).
A total of 677 families with destroyed (totally damaged houses) will make up the first batch of recipients, with payouts starting at the Bacolod City College, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said.
Two additional venues — Bacolod City National High School Gym in Brgy. Taculing and Villamonte Gym in Brgy. Villamonte — will open in the following days to accommodate the steady flow of beneficiaries.
The first batch includes all families with destroyed houses in the city’s 61 barangays and families with damaged houses in Brgys. 1 to 4, Alangilan, Alijis, Banago, and Bata.
Families with destroyed houses will receive ₱10,325, while those with damaged houses will get ₱5,369, in line with the national ECT program, the press release said.
“For Brgy. Granada and Vista Alegre, the commitment of DSWD is the funds are there and there are no problems with it. The challenge is the cash advance which limited them to P114 million. We will try our best to hasten the liquidation of the funds so DSWD can make another CA, but this time it’s for the pay-out of the other barangays,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said.
Friday’s payout is the start of a full citywide distribution.
There are 3,430 families with destroyed houses and 14,823 families with damaged houses across select barangays that will receive assistance under the DSWD-NIR’s ECT program, the press release said.*