Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the payout activities for emergency shelter assistance (ESA) for disaster victims and the social pension program for indigent senior citizens in Siargao Island on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
About 4,840 families in General Luna, Surigao del Norte, who were victims of typhoon Odette, received shelter assistance worth P10,000 for each family that did not receive housing assistance from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and P5,000 for those assisted by NHA.
Gatchalian said families can use the cash aid to repair their houses, especially those that were completely damaged by typhoon Odette in December 2021.
“The DSWD is here to help you and to supplement your needs for the repair of your houses,” he said, adding that recovery from a massive disaster, such as typhoon Odette, is a gradual process that might take months or years.
Gatchalian assured the beneficiaries that the DSWD will continue to help those affected by the typhoon through close coordination with the local government units (LGUs) in providing sustainable livelihoods for them.
“Rest assured that you will be assisted towards full recovery and that does not end today,” he added.
Gatchalian also witnessed the distribution of social pension for indigent senior citizens in Dapa, Surigao Del Norte, during his visit to Siargao Island.
About 1,112 social pensioners received their monthly stipend for the first semester of 2023, worth P3,000 each.
The P500 monthly stipend under the social pension program for indigent senior citizens is distributed by DSWD to its beneficiaries every semester through various delivery schemes including cash advance by a designated special disbursing officer (SDO); door-to-door delivery scheme; and fund transfer to LGUs.
The stipend aims to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of indigent senior citizens.
“I understand the struggle that our senior citizens face these days, especially in acquiring their daily needs such as food and medicines, among others,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief assured senior citizens that pensions will continue even though the implementation of the program is being transferred to the National Commission of Senior Citizens.