DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman reiterates that relief distribution for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas will not be terminated in March.
However, DSWD and concerned local government units will conduct a joint assessment by end of March to determine the number of families who are able to “stand on their own” and those who need continued assistance.
As of January 26, DSWD has distributed 3,440,675 three- and six-kilogram food and rice packs; 470,456 liters of bottled water; 135,277 canned goods; and, 245,444 high-energy biscuits.
In addition to the regular food packs, DSWD has started giving out bigger rice packs and canned goods packs.
Some 259,211 food packs with 25 kilograms of rice, canned goods, noodles and coffee have already been distributed as of January 26.
The bigger food and rice packs can last for about 10-14 days for a family of five.
The Secretary also said that more than two months after ‘Yolanda’ devastated Eastern Visayas, the affected families are now on their road to recovery and are starting to earn through the emergency employment provided by DSWD, DOLE, and other groups.
To date, some 15,188 individuals from the region have benefited from the Cash-for-Work (CFW) Program of DSWD that started on November 24 and is still ongoing.
According to Sec. Soliman, “The CFW Program is part of our early recovery efforts to introduce normalcy to affected families in the region.”
She added that more than the relief distribution, those who are able are being engaged in the important work of rebuilding the area.
Prior to the CFW, DSWD initially implemented Food-for-Work (FFW) from November 10-23 where beneficiaries were given food packs in exchange of helping in repacking and distributing relief goods.
Under the CFW, the beneficiaries are given work according to their capacity such as loading and unloading of relief goods, repacking of goods, food preparation, cleaning of debris, coastal clean-up, canal dredging, and communal gardening, among others.
Other ‘Yolanda’ victims assisted in the inventory of damaged properties.
Qualified beneficiaries are those 18 years old and above, able and willing to be assigned where they will be needed the most.
To date, DSWD has released P22,055,766 for the implementation of the program.
Sec. Soliman also cited other organizations implementing CFW programs to affected families in the region.
Among these are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), whose CFW Program targets to cover around 200,000 beneficiaries and the Tzu Chi Foundation, which gave P500 to each of its CFW beneficiaries.
Heads of families such as Narciso Fabricante, 49, a beneficiary of the CFW, narrated in the vernacular, “We are glad that at least we can support our family better.”
“We can now buy sufficient food for our children and not simply rely on relief goods,” Fabricante, who used to be ahabal-habal (motorcycle) driver in Palo, Leyte, said.
Rogelio Padal, 50, another father working in the seaport shares the same story as Narciso. He used to be a fisherman but is not able to go back to fishing after the typhoon since his boat was destroyed.
For Padal, “working in exchange for even a small amount is already a big help for my family.”
“CFW enables the survivors of calamities to earn and be productive rather than dwell on their traumatic experiences. It promotes individual recovery as well as rebuilding of their communities,” Sec. Soliman emphasized.
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