The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will request for an additional budget from the Office of the President (OP) to provide emergency shelter assistance (ESA) for families affected by typhoon “Odette” last month.

NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said the recommendation made by the Shelter Cluster, led by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), was approved during a full Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 13.

“This can be provided through the NDRRM Fund since this is subject for replenishment,” Jalad said.

The NDRRMC’s Shelter Cluster, in the said meeting, identified the provision of cash assistance and housing materials, and the setting up of transitional shelters as part of the government’s relief effort while post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) was on-going in the typhoon-hit areas.

A total of 2,224,803 families were affected while 1.1 million houses were destroyed by typhoon Odette when it hit parts of Visayas and Mindanao on Dec. 16. The NDRRMC has yet to reveal how much budget they will request from the OP and how much ESA will be given to each families.

Meanwhile, the OP has already provided cash assistance worth P5,000 to each of the affected low-income families.

Aside from Typhoon Odette, also discussed were updates on the rehabilitation and recovery activities in connection with the effects of Typhoons “Quinta,” “Rolly,” and “Ulysses” which all wreaked havoc in 2020.

NDRRMC Chairman and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Council approved the recommendation on the development of a Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan with medium- and long-term programs, projects and activities (PPAs) for the affected communities.

“Kailangan lahat ng agencies will contribute para magkaroon ng comprehensive recovery plan. All we have to do is consolidate these things and put them into one document,” Lorenzana said.