PILAR, SORSOGON—National Housing Authority (NHA) grants financial aid to four (4) Pilareño families through their Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) on March 23, 2022, 9AM at LGU Complex Building.

 

NHA Sorsogon-Masbate District Manager, Teodora G. Bandojo headed the EHAP in the Municipality through the support of Mayor Carolyn Sy-Reyes and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO), Ms. Anilyn Bon helping the four indigent families who were left homeless due to fire incident that occurred on 2021.

 

The EHAP was supported by the NHA Memorandum Circular No. 2021-070 which is the implementation of such, releasing cash assistance to those families whose houses were affected by calamities and disasters. To qualify as one of the beneficiaries of the program, they should be assessed and endorsed by the local and provincial government units in the affected areas.

 

Based on the prevailing memorandum guidelines, the amount of assistance depends on the extent of damage rendered to the affected properties of the house. For 20% (Php5,000), 40% (Php10,000), 60% (Php20,000), 80% to 100% (Php30,000) worth will be received by the recipients.

 

‘’Ang programang ini ay para sa mga naapektaran nin sakuna gaya ngane kaning kaso nindo so kasulo, lindol, pag-putok kan bulkan dangan iba pang mga kalamidad na kaipuhan nin Emergency Assistance.’’ Bandojo stated. [This program is for the families affected by calamities such as fire, earthquake, volcanic eruption and other disasters that need emergency assistance.]

 

The beneficiaries are from barangay Guiron, Lipason, Palanas, and Bayasong, Pilar, Sorsogon. Three out of four families received Php30,000 while the other one had Php20,000 hoping to rebuild their houses through this.

 

Trinity P. Macayan, beneficiary from Brgy. Guiron told her heartbreaking experience on August 2, 2021 when the fire wipes out all of their belongings. Whereas, their injured 6-month-old raised hog was sold in lower price that added to her misfortune. Further, their house was situated 500 meters away from the national road with a narrow pathway that caused difficulty for the Fire fighters to rescue.

 

That is why during the release of the cash assistance, Macayan expressed her gratefulness to the program through the help of LGU-Pilar,’’Nagpapasalamat po ako sa tulong na ibinigay ng MSWD binigyan po kami ng canned goods pati na rin sa programa ng NHA ngayon.’’[ I am thankful to the help given by the MSWD because they gave us canned goods, as well as to the program of NHA.]

 

MSWDO Anilyn Bon stated that,’’Nagprovide ang ating LGU ng cash assistance with the amount of 4,500 through our Emergency Shelter Assistance, plus binigyan sila ni Mayor ng Food Pack.’’ [Our LGU provided cash assistance with the amount of 4,500 through our Emergency Shelter Assistance plus Food Pack given by Mayor.]

 

Bandojo imparted the guidelines in the selection of beneficiaries of EHAP,’’Dapat from marginal families, affected sila kang kalamidad at yung listahan endorsed sila kan LGU through MSWD then approved ni Mayor, ivavalidate namin and for inspection titignan namin yung extent nung damage.’’ [They should be from marginal families, affected by calamities and the list should be endorsed by the LGU through MSWDO approved by the Mayor, we will validate and inspect the extent of damage.]

 

’’Mawot mi na sa tabang kan kwartang ini magamit niyo talagang maiayos so naraotan kan harong, unang-una nakikidamay din kami sa sakunang namatian niyo. Maray man na naka-resibi nin ayuda pero ipangadyi ta na dai na maulit.’’ She added. [We hope that through this cash assistance, you can use this to rebuild your house, firstly we empathize with you due to the calamity that you experienced. It is good that we can receive cash assistance but we should pray that it will never happen again.]

 

The beneficiary’s misfortune is a great reminder to every member of the family that they should practice safety precautions to reduce and prevent the effects of disaster that might happen unexpectedly, tragedy will be the price of one’s neglectfulness.