ILOILO City – Families in this city and province of Iloilo, which are both under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), are expecting to receive cash assistance from the government.
“We will be immediately facilitating the releasing of the cash aid to LGUs (local government units),” said Director Evelyn Macapobre of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 6.
According to Macapobre, each person will receive P1,000 cash with a maximum amount of P4,000 per family through DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
The regional director said they are targeting 665,561 families in the city and province of Iloilo to be covered by a P2.6-billion stimulus package.
Who are these target beneficiaries?
* families who were then recipients of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) under Bayanihan 1 and additional beneficiaries of emergency subsidy under Bayanihan 2;
* individuals belonging to vulnerable groups such as individuals living alone, senior citizens or persons with disability (PWD); and
* others who have been stranded by reason of employment in the province, city, or municipality under ECQ
* must be physically residing, either temporarily or permanently, or those who are still in the ECQ areas (at the time of the ECQ declaration)
To note, at the onset of ECQ, Macapobre said the agency proposed provision of financial assistance for the Ilonggos.
Recently, DSWD and partner agencies – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of National Defense (DND) – signed the implementing guidelines for the distribution of financial assistance to LGUs under ECQ stipulated in the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2, Series of 2021.
Aside from Iloilo city and province, cash assistance will also be given to families in Cagayan de Oro City and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
LGUs are also expected to post on their official websites, social media accounts, and in conspicuous places in the concerned barangays the list of approved beneficiaries, prior to actual distribution.
LGUs are expected to release the assistance in cash to the beneficiaries and conduct the distribution of financial assistance within 15 days from receipt of funds transferred by the DSWD.
LGUs will also create their own Grievance and Appeals Committee to receive and address complaints or grievances.
A Joint Monitoring and Inspection Committee (JMIC) will also be created to provide technical assistance to the concerned LGUs and to monitor their compliance with the provisions of the JMC and the Special AICS Guidelines of the DSWD.
FAMILY FOOD PACKS
Between July 16 and 26, about 38,900 family food packs (containing 10 kilograms of rice, canned goods, coffee and powdered milk) have already been augmented to families in Iloilo city and province, according to the DSWD.
Iloilo City received 10,000 family food packs.
In Iloilo province, here’s the breakdown of the recipient LGUs: Ajuy (500), Alimodian (1,500), Anilao (500), Badiangan (500), Balasan (1,000), Barotac Nuevo (1,000), Batad (500), Bingawan (500), Cabatuan (500), Carles (1,000), Concepcion (1,000), Dingle (500), Dumangas (500), Estancia (1,000), Guimbal (500), Igbaras (500), Janiuay (1,500), Lambunao (1,000), Leganes (500), Lemery (500), Leon (1,500), Miag-ao (1,500), Mina (600), New Lucena (500), Oton (1,500), Passi City (1,000), Pavia (500), Pototan (1,000), San Dionisio (1,000), San Enrique (500), San Joaquin (500), Sara (2,000), Santa Barbara (500), Tigbauan (800), and Tubungan (500).
Data from DSWD showed these areas in Western Visayas also received food packs (since January 2021):
* Aklan – 32,127 (total cost P13,431,770)
* Antique – 18,959 (total cost P9,001,520)
* Capiz – 15,039 (total cost P7,216,032)
* Guimaras – 4,759 (total cost P1,886,880)
* Iloilo – 86,657 family food packs (total cost P38,990,046)
* Negros Occidental – 11,750 (total cost P5,790,728)
Macapobre earlier said DSWD-6 received 5,000 family food packs from the Visayas Disaster Response Center.
“Understanding the gravity of the need of Iloilo city and province, we already sought help from the DSWD Central Office to augment resources for the Ilonggos,” Macapobre said.
The regional director also assured the public they would augment affected LGUs as long as there are available resources.
On July 14, the regional office wrote Undersecretary Felicisimo Budiongan of the DSWD Disaster Response Management Group appealing for additional food packs./PN
