MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government has allotted P1.5 billion to respond to the people who will be affected by Typhoon Bising, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

In a statement, the DSWD said it has prepared emergency relief supplies that can be used to augment the resources of local government units affected by the typhoon.

“Based on the 6PM, April16 report of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), the DSWD maintains stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P1.5 billion. Of which, more than P517 million is the available Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the DSWD Central Office,” the agency said.

“In addition, the Department and its Field Offices (FOs) have 355,672 family food packs prepositioned in strategic locations around the country ready to be delivered to LGUs,” it added.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that Bising has slightly weakened as it moves northward over the Philippine Sea.

The typhoon was last spotted at 500 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kilometers per hour. It is moving northward at 10 kilometers per hour.

The DSWD said that its field offices’ Quick Response Teams along the typhoon’s track are “now on standby and ready to provide technical assistance, if needed, following the new normal protocols of the agency amid the pandemic.”

“The Department, as the lead agency in the Food and Non-Food Item Cluster, Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, and the Internally Displaced Persons  Protection Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will continue to ensure the efficient and well-coordinated delivery of social protection services to the population that will be affected by the typhoon,” it said.

PAGASA said that moderate to heavy rains at times intense rains will be experienced over the Bicol region and Northern Samar until Tuesday.

It is forecast to move generally northward or north-northwestward until Wednesday evening or Thursday morning before it moves away from the landmass of Luzon.

Bising is seen to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday.

MANILA, Philippines – Only eight percent, or equivalent to more than P1 billion, of the fund allotted for government assistance has been distributed to low-income families affected by the 2-week enhanced community quarantine previously imposed in the NCR Plus areas, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

During President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People briefing on Monday night, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said that P1.7 billion of the total P22.9 billion government assistance aid has been disbursed to beneficiaries.

Citing data from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) covering the payouts from April 7 to 9, Bautista said around 1.7 million beneficiaries in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal have already received their aid.

The government earlier said that each beneficiary will receive P1,000 or a maximum of P4,000 per family.

Bautista admitted that the rollout of the assistance was off to a “slow start” but assured that the process will speed up in the next few days.

“Makikita po natin dito na talagang may slow start but as experienced last year, na talagang start po talagang mabagal, after four to five days doon na po nag-start ng pag-distribute ng special assistance,” he said.

The DSWD chief also reported to Duterte that a joint monitoring and inspection committee has been set up for every local government to ensure that the aid is properly distributed.

Grievance committees were also created where recipients can raise their concerns on government assistance.

Metro Manila and four nearby provinces – called NCR Plus – were placed under ECQ from March 29 to April 11 in a bid to slow down the COVID-19 spread.

The said areas were reverted back to modified ECQ starting April 12 until April 30.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have released implementing guidelines on the distribution of aid to NCR Plus residents affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

A joint memorandum circular was issued on Thursday (April 1) to serve as guidance in the allocation of financial assistance after President Duterte approved the release of P22.9 billion to affected individuals.

The assistance of P1,000 per person will be given to low-income earners whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the ongoing ECQ in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite — collectively tagged as “NCR Plus”.

The DSWD shall generate the list of beneficiaries. Once the local government units receive their respective funds, it should be distributed among the intended recipients within 15 calendar days if given in cash and within 30 calendar days if in kind.

DILG spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that the decision to provide the aid in either cash or in-kind will be up to LGUs.

“The LGUs have the discretion to determine if the assistance will be given in cash or in-kind provided that the assistance gets to their constituents soonest,” he said.

Individuals who are qualified to receive aid but not on DSWD’s list may still be included by the LGU provided that there are still remaining funds to accommodate them.

The LGUs shall post the list of target beneficiaries on their official social media accounts, websites and public areas where the community can see it for reference and transparency.

The DILG will form a joint monitoring and inspection team for each LGU to ensure that the allocated assistance will reach intended recipients.