NHA-8 extends cash assistance to ‘Typhoon Ursula’ affected families in Biliran

By Ninfa B. Quirante

NAVAL, Biliran, Jan. 30 (PIA) — Regional Director Gavino Figuracion of the National Housing Authority (NHA) 8 told reporters that the agency is giving cash assistance to ‘Typhoon Ursula’ affected families, whose houses were damaged.

In Naval, Biliran, while waiting for the arrival of Sen. Bong Go who also distributed cash assistance to the eight towns of Biliran, Figuracion answered questions from the PIA 8 staff.

The cash assistance is under the Emergency Housing Assistance, said the NHA official.

For the totally damaged houses, the agency is giving P30,000 while it is from P5,000 to P20,000 for those partially damaged houses.

“The NHA with DSWD and the LGU will evaluate and validate the damage,” Figuracion said.

“Inuna natin yung totally damaged kasi mas madaling madetermine.” (We will give priority to the totally damaged houses.)

He then enumerated the forms needed like being listed in the payroll (as earlier evaluated and confirmed) valid identification card, or a certificate from the barangay, or a voters certificate that one is indeed resident of the barangay where their houses stood before Typhoon Ursula toppled them down.

Nanay Narsalita Gonzales, 62 from one of the barangays in Naval is living alone as her kids are in Manila, she is happy that she will be given P30,000.

“Mupalit ko ug sim, lansang, plywood aron naa koy silungan, nabilin pa man haligi intawon,” (I will buy GI sheets, nails and plywood, the posts are still there) she said.

Tatay Pablo Bacut, 80 stayed outside the gym waiting for the payout.

“Sige lang ko ug balay ani, kadtong bagyo Yolanda, Urduja, naguba akong balay, karon na pod bagyo Ursula, sim na gyud akong i-atop ani,” (I always rebuild my house, in typhoon Yolanda, it was destroyed, then Urduja and now Ursula, I think I will use GI sheets for roofing) the elderly shared.

In Naval town alone, NHA reported that some 694 houses were totally damaged.

Biliran Governor Rogelio Espina in an earlier interview claimed that in the whole province, some 2,432 houses were totally damaged while some 22,600 were partially damaged. (nbq/PIA-8)