“It has been a little over a year since Super Typhoon Yolanda caused great destruction to our lives and properties. The assistance has been overwhelming, as it comes from varied sources, both nationally and internationally. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) created long ago, past many typhoons, the so – called DAFAC which stands for Disaster Assistance Family Access Card. Commonly called nowadays as the “green card,” it is a tool for registering the number of affected families, and such information as the extent of damage of houses, either totally or partially. For the DSWD and its local counterparts – the provincial, city, municipal social welfare and development offices, it is a means for them to see if a family is over served and underserved. For the “green card” is a record of assistance extended to the family. However, the card is not a guarantee for the family to have all the aid that are available, such as the much sought after – Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) that extends cash for house repair to the less – privileged populace not living within the unsafe zones and have a family income of below Php15, 000.00 !

For our co – Yolanda survivors who have just returned to their homelands after quite some time since the catastrophe, the “green card” could be settled at the local level. Meaning, the local government unit may seek funding from its own resources for whatever benefit such as the ESA. The national government, represented by the DSWD, has set a timeline for the accomplishment of these green cards by the households. Like any other program, it has a deadline for budgeting purpose. If we have to accept these accomplished “green cards” by piece, the operations of government will be in disarray. The DSWD has much tolerance on the acceptance of the green card. Since the encoding of names of typhoon survivors for master listing could not yet be completed, DSWD has been extending its deadlines, from March to July and finally September, all of last year !

The length of given was long enough for one to fulfill one’s responsibility. It is not reasonable for one to sleep on one’s rights. One must do his part in the name of DEVELOPMENT ! #