MANILA -- A total of 97,500 families affected by Typhoon Odette in the Visayas and Mindanao started receiving P5,000 shelter assistance from the government, Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said on Monday.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recently issued a directive instructing shelter agencies to provide support to the families affected by the typhoon.

The aid, which will reach a total of P487.5 million, will cover qualified families in Mimaropa, Eastern, Western, and Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

“The distribution started today and expected to be completed by Wednesday, Mr. President,” Secretary del Rosario reported during President Duterte’s Talk to the People aired Tuesday morning.

“And ways forward, to complete the 100 million commitment per province by the President, this will be completed by January of 2022,” he said, adding the procurement of housing materials for LGUs with on-site delivery will be undertaken from January to March next year.

Del Rosario also reported that the PAG-IBIG Fund allocated P5 billion in calamity loan for its members in areas hit by Typhoon Odette.

“And the calamity loan, every member can borrow up to 80 percent of their total PAG-IBIG savings, with the lowest interest rate of 5.95 per annum, and payable of up to three years with a grace period of two months,” he said.

Under the scheme, a PAG-IBIG member can borrow P20,000 payable in three years.

Also reporting on the ongoing distribution of shelter assistance, the human settlements and urban development chief said the International Organization For Migration and USAID have also sent aid.

The government has so far distributed shelter-grade tarpaulin sheets, which can accommodate a family of four to six members with the size of 4×6 or 24 square meters, he said.

A total of 5,598 shelter-grade tarpaulins were handed over to the LGUs in Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte and Eastern Visayas. Most of the tarpaulins went to Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao, the hardest-hit areas.

Also, DHSUD has coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard for the distribution of the 14,000 shelter-grade tarpaulin sheets, 250 modular tents for evacuation centers and 1,310 solar lamps.

Likewise, 1,000 shelter repair kits are available for distribution. The kits are composed of GI sheets, lumber, plywood, tarps, nails and carpentry tools. As of Monday, 700 kits arrived in Butuan City and these will be distributed mostly in the Siargao and Dinagat Islands.

In Southern Leyte, 300 kits will arrive in Maasin on December 31, according to Del Rosario. All the kits were provided by the International Organization for Migration and USAID. 

Based on recent government figures, there were 167,077 totally damaged houses and 339,327 partially damaged. (PND)