The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday released the funding for the P10,000 emergency shelter assistance to victims of typhoon “Odette” in December 2021.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved a special allotment amounting to P1,580,123,000 granting the request of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for emergency shelter assistance.
This will cover the reconstruction of 153,410 damaged houses in Regions 6 (Western Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 10 (Northern Mindanao), and 13 (Caraga Region).
“Each one of us considers home as a haven or safe place. Having a proper home is the prayer of every Filipino. Therefore, DBM is united in helping to ensure that every home damaged by typhoon ‘Odette’ is repaired so that our compatriots can comfortably shelter with their families and loved ones,” the secretary said.
The Budget chief assured the typhoon victims of government assistance until they fully recover.
“Although typhoon ‘Odette’ hit last year, the government did not forget the victims. We continue to give help to those in need for their recovery,” Pangandaman added.
DBM disclosed that the DSWD requested the release of the P1.5 billion funding on 2 August 2022, which was received by the DBM the next day.
The corresponding Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) was released on 8 August 2022.
Odette is one of the strongest typhoons recorded in 2021, that made its landfall on 16 December, bringing violent winds and storm surges to the Visayas and Mindanao islands.
The total number of fatalities from typhoon “Odette” in the Visayas and Mindanao has reached at least 407 while more than 1,140 people have been wounded.
Following the onslaught of the typhoon, then President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the distribution of P1,000 to each survivor, but not more than P5,000 per household.
Some P4.8 billion cash assistance has been allocated to benefit more than four million individuals.