A total of 9,198 families affected by Super Typhoon Uwan in Paracale, Camarines Norte, started receiving financial assistance of PHP50.1 million from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) under the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program to help them recover from the disaster.

In an interview on Wednesday, Claudio Villareal, chief of the Disaster Response and Management Division of DSWD Bicol, said the payout is scheduled within the month, with a total of 8,890 families classified as slightly affected receiving PHP5,287 each, while 308 severely affected families will receive PHP10,263 each.

Villareal said the identification and validation of beneficiaries were conducted in close coordination with the local government units (LGUs) to ensure that only qualified recipients receive assistance.

“This is to ensure that the assistance is provided to those who were actually affected by the disaster and who meet the established criteria for the Emergency Cash Transfer,” he said.

Villareal said the ECT is designed to help disaster-hit families address their most urgent needs while supporting their transition from emergency response to long-term recovery.

“Beyond helping them cope during the emergency, the assistance may also support their recovery, such as repairing or restoring portions of their homes, replacing essential household appliances, or addressing other urgent needs brought about by the disaster,” he said.

Villareal also underscored the importance of the partnership between the Philippine government and the Asian Development Bank in strengthening disaster response efforts.

“The partnership with the Asian Development Bank is significant because it provides additional support for the government’s disaster response efforts, particularly in delivering timely cash assistance to disaster-affected families,” he said.

He clarified that the current ADB-funded grant covers only Camarines Norte.

“Camarines Norte has been identified as the beneficiary province. The assistance under the grant is intended for qualified disaster-affected individuals in the province, based on the magnitude of impact from Typhoon Uwan as reported in the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC),” Villareal said.

The agency said it continues to work with LGUs in implementing the program as part of the government’s efforts to accelerate the recovery of communities affected by weather disturbances. (PNA)