DSWD FO8 has released Php 12, 246,000.00 as emergency assistance for 3,140 Typhoon Ruby affected families from the 23 barangays in Quinapondan, Eastern Samar through the Sustainable Livelihood Program’s Cash for Building Livelihood Assets (CBLA). Beneficiaries from 23 barangays participated in labor-intensive activities for 15 days.

CBLA is one of the strategies seen as an effective tool in rebuilding damaged livelihood assets. It’s a primary intervention to start livelihoods for a more holistic recovery and development of more resilient livelihoods in order to provide alternative income sources through short-term informal employment to the families with the existing inimum wage payment for services rendered for a maximum of 15 days.

Days after the typhoon Ruby hit Eastern Visayas on December 7, 2015, residents of Barangays 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, Alang-alang, Bagte, Buenavista, Cagdaja, Cambilla, Centenio, Mabini, Naga, Paco, Palactad, Rizal, San Isidro, Sna Pedo, San Vicente, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Margarita were asked to participate. One representative for each family was included in the program which involved cleaning their own backyards, drainages, plant vegetables in their backyard gardens, etc.

Tetchie Abogaa, 27-years old, a resident of Bgy. Buenavista, Quinapondan, Eastern Samar is one of the CBLA beneficiaries. She is grateful to DSWD for the P3, 900 pesos she has received as payment for cleaning her father’s backyard for 15 days.

Tetchie was raised by her 80-year old grandfather, Honorato, who has been of some help to her when she did some clearing and grass cutting in their backyard under CBLA. They planted camote, squash, pechay and amplaya in their cleaned garden in March and have, since then, harvested pechay twice and squash once”. Her mother died when she was nine and she has been placed under the care of her grandmother (now deceased) who was an elementary school teacher and her farmer-grandfather.

“Dako nga bulig para ha akon an CBLA kay napiritan kami panlimyo ngan pananum.” (The CBLA has been of a big help for us because we were ‘forced’ to clean and plant veggies In our garden), Tetchie self-consciously says.
She tells that their day starts (mostly) at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 in the afternoon, and were supervised by an assigned leader.

“An CBLA nakakabulig han na-aafected han bagyo ngan nadudugngan an amon pagkaon kay nakaka-harvest pa kami” (CBLA helps those affected by the typhoon and our food supply is supplemented since we are able to harvest vegetables after a few weeks), says Tetchie, a 2nd year college Education student who had to stop schooling because of poverty.

“Naghamis an komunidad pagkatapos hin kinse diyas.” (The community became clean after 15 days), says Tetchie. “Angay ipadayun hit gobyerno an CBLA kay nakakabulig ha amon. Pero it iba gad man nadepende la hit suhol.” (The government should continue with giving out CBLA since this is a big help to us.