BACOLOD City — The city government here has addressed public concerns regarding the master list of beneficiaries for financial assistance to families affected by Typhoon “Tino” under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program.
Mayor Greg Gasataya clarified that missing or allegedly “removed” names on the list were largely due to technical encoding issues rather than deliberate exclusion.
In a recent media briefing, Gasataya explained that duplicate entries in the system triggered validation errors, resulting in some names being temporarily flagged or omitted during data processing.
He urged affected residents to coordinate directly with their respective barangay halls for proper verification and correction of records, instead of relying on unverified or misleading information circulating online.
The mayor also issued a stern warning against corruption in the distribution of financial assistance, stressing that beneficiaries are entitled to receive the full amount of aid—P10,325 for families with totally damaged houses and P5,369 for those with partially damaged homes.
“I am reminding everyone that you have zero obligation to give a single centavo to anyone claiming to have ‘processed’ your papers. If we receive documented proof of anyone taking a cut from these grants, the city will not hesitate to file criminal cases,” Gasataya said.
Meanwhile, the mayor announced that the second batch of ECT funds has already been successfully downloaded to the city government, paving the way for the release of assistance to remaining families affected by the typhoon.
The development underscores the DSWD’s commitment to prioritizing Bacolod in the aftermath of Typhoon “Tino.” Gasataya expressed his gratitude to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian for the swift release of funds, noting that Bacolod is the first local government unit in the region to receive ECT assistance.
“I was just informed by the DSWD, and I am very grateful to the agency because Bacolod is the first in the entire region to receive the Emergency Cash Transfer for those affected by Typhoon “Tino,” the mayor said.
Following the completion of the first batch covering numbered barangays, the city has begun the second phase of distribution for beneficiaries from Barangay Granada to Barangay Vista Alegre.
Records show that a total of 44,463 families were affected by Typhoon “Tino.” The initial batch of ECT beneficiaries included 3,430 families whose homes were totally destroyed and 14,823 families with partially damaged houses.
City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo and Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) head Dr. Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga are closely coordinating to address remaining technical concerns. They assured the public that all flagged or questioned entries are undergoing careful review to ensure that no legitimate typhoon victim is left out./PN
