Typhoon Odette Victims in Negros Occidental Receive Full ₱91 Million Aid

The provincial government of Negros Occidental has successfully distributed the allocated financial aid to several communities ravaged by Typhoon Odette in December 2021. Earlier, the National Housing Authority (NHA) committed ₱91 million to reconstruct damaged houses in the province. The total amount has since been disbursed to the local governments of affected areas several months after the disaster.

The office of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson recently confirmed the completion of the distribution. The final tranche of assistance amounted to ₱19.9 million, which was distributed to 3,989 residents of Cauayan town. A big portion of the housing aid went to Kabankalan City, reaching a total of ₱36 million as 7,284 families received ₱5,000 each. Another ₱15.9 million of the total assistance was, likewise, distributed to 3,199 families in Sipalay City.

Lacson previously noted that the NHA aid would only cover households with destroyed homes. The Negros Occidental official further explained that distribution was delayed particularly due to the election ban and the National Treasury. Other local government units also supplemented the aid necessary for the devastated localities, most of which sourced the budget from their disaster funds.

For instance, the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) approved the ₱500-million assistance for victims of Typhoon Odette in January 2022. Of the total amount, ₱13.8 million came from the PDRRMC’s trust fund. Despite this, certain areas forwarded complaints regarding the uneven distribution of assistance.

Irene Consunji-Montilla, the mayor of Isabela town, reported that only 3,000 residents received the ₱5,000 cash aid from the NHA. However, the local government of the town listed 4,000 families as potential beneficiaries. “We listed so many but not all were validated. We complained about this a long time ago,” Montilla affirmed.

According to Mayor Montilla, Isabela town only received ₱2.7 million of the NHA’s financial aid. This is significantly less compared to the amount given to other local government units of the province. The concern is mainly due to the fact that the town’s local council failed to pass a state of calamity ordinance.

Source: Rappler