Gandamra lauds DSWD, TFBM for efficient distribution of assistance to IDPs
By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA
April 12, 2019
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Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra,2nd from left, and TFBM head Secretary Eduardo del Rosario answer questions from reporters when the two visited the distribiution of assistance at Lanao del Sur provincial gym in Marawi City. (MNY)
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In an interview at the Lanao provincial gym here on Friday, Marawi City Mayor Majul U. Gandamra told this writer that he is impressed on the way DSWD, TFBM and other partners are smoothly handling the payout of cash assistance and giving the Paba-on Package to IDPs.
He said with the process now of extending assistance to the IDPs, he could assure that all displaced persons will receive assistance from the government.
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| A Marawi lady IDP receives a Pabaon Package in addition to the P73,000 she receives from DSWD. (MNY) |
“Unlike before when leaders are the ones identifying beneficiaries at their own, this time, the process is very effective, the profiling (Kathanor) and the fulfilling of documentary requirements for the releasing is truly efficient,” Gandamra said.
The recipients have undergone the IDP profiling dubbed as “Kathanor”, a Maranao term for organizing, intending to capture biometrics and other personal data from each legitimate displaced individual of Marawi City.
Undersecretary Budiongan, formerly deputy to TFBM Field Manager and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Assistant Secretary Felix Castro Jr., related his experience seeing a bloated DSWD master list of IDPs.
“When I was still with TFBM, I saw households having several access cards or DAFAC bloating the numbers in our master list. Therefore, we conducted Kathanor to come up with a clean list, which we will be using on giving government assistance for IDPs. We see to it that only legitimate IDPs will receive help and support from the government,” Budiongan explained.
The DSWD targeted 15,677 IDPs each to receive P73,000 -- P53,000 for Transitory Family Support Package (TFSP) and P20,000 for Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG). It will also give the IDPs a Pabaon Package composed of canned goods and food items.
DSWD’s TFSP of P53,000 is for the family’s food, shelter, education, and other non-food items while LSG of P20,000 is intended to help the IDPs start their own business.
DSWD Undersecretary Felicisimo Budiongan assured that they would continue to assist/bring intervention for the IDPs until they go back to their normal lives.
“We will always be with you until you get back on your feet again. We will always be here, ‘wala tayong iwanan (We will not leave eqach other)," Budiongan said.
During the recent public consultation conducted by TFBM in Marawi City, the crowd of displaced individuals cheered as TFBM chairperson and HUDCC Secretary Eduardo del Rosario promised about the DSWD’s livelihood assistance.
He also assured that displaced residents of MAA could return to their homes after the 24 most devastated barangays of Marawi City will be free of unexploded bombs and debris after August 2019.
Mayor Gandamra congratulated the DSWD, TFBM, the Philippine Army, the World Food Program, the provincial government of Lanao del Sur and other partners for a job well done. (MNY/RSP)
