Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental has officially started the distribution of ₱20 million in financial assistance from the Office of the President to the victims of Typhoon “Tino”.
The first batch of beneficiaries received their aid on Monday, February 16, during a kickoff event held at the Municipal Auditorium, a press release from the town said.
Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo led the initial rollout, where 894 families from Barangays 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 each received ₱1,600.
Total disbursements on the first day reached nearly ₱1.5 million.
Distribution is scheduled to continue throughout the week, covering additional residents from Barangays Macagahay, Montilla, and Quintin Remom the press release said..
Garcia-Yulo explained that the local government is utilizing a phased approach, prioritizing the first ₱10 million tranche coursed through the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
This portion is being released first to meet a strict 90-day utilization deadline and to manage the municipality’s existing manpower limitations.
The remaining ₱10 million, which was granted directly by the Office of the President to the Local Government Unit (LGU), will be released once the initial provincial tranche has been fully disbursed.
The mayor said the earlier delays in the direct assistance was because the municipality had to resend documentation to Malacañang to update the signatory on the Deed of Donation following the resignation of the President’s Executive Secretary.
Garcia-Yulo clarified that this presidential assistance is entirely separate from the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
She emphasized that the DSWD will conduct its own independent distribution process for ECT beneficiaries to ensure there is no overlap in services.
The ₱20 million aid package is intended to provide much-needed support to families in Moises Padilla, particularly those still recovering from recent disasters and facing economic challenges.
The initiative forms a key part of the national government’s ongoing commitment to localized relief and recovery efforts, the press release said.*
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