BACOLOD City — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will begin releasing the first batch of Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance to residents affected by Typhoon “Tino” on Saturday, December 13.
Based on DSWD records, 18,253 beneficiaries whose homes and properties were affected by the November 25 typhoon are set to receive a combined P114,999,437 in cash aid.
Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that the national government has allocated around P240 million for Bacolod City. This weekend’s payout will cover only the initial batch, with the next tranche expected to be released by January.
Under the ECT program, severely affected families will receive P10,325 each, benefiting 3,430 families for a total of P35,414,750. Meanwhile, slightly affected families will get P5,369 each, covering 14,823 families for a total of P79,584,687.
Mayor Gasataya said the DSWD, in coordination with the city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), conducted a thorough evaluation of the list of affected residents submitted by barangays, ensuring that all identified families with damaged or destroyed homes are properly verified.
The DSWD and DSSD earlier met with the mayor to finalize allocations for beneficiaries. While Mayor Gasataya had appealed for a one-day release of all financial assistance, the agency clarified that disbursing all payouts in a single day was not feasible due to logistical constraints.
The amount granted to each beneficiary is based on the DSWD’s computation, typically equivalent to the regional minimum wage multiplied by the number of days families experience displacement or disruption.
The ECT program provides lifesaving cash assistance to disaster-affected households, enabling them to purchase food, medicine, water, and other essential items as they begin recovery./PN
