DHSUD expands disaster aid for partially damaged homes

Homeowners with partially damaged houses due to Typhoon Carina and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon will receive disaster assistance from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

During a public hearing on Monday, DHSUD Undersecretary Randy Escolango announced that Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar ordered the inclusion of partially damaged houses under the Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP), which initially only covered totally damaged homes.

Beneficiaries must be heads of households and not recipients of other shelter assistance from government agencies or NGOs to qualify for IDSAP, with a budget of P200 million available for its first year, of which P193 million remains unallocated.

DHSUD has logged at least 15,049 partially damaged and 130 totally damaged houses, though these figures may increase as inspections continue.

The department is preparing guidelines to ensure that all affected homeowners can receive the necessary assistance under IDSAP.