By CESAR JOLITO III

Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo has clarified that the municipal government is not involved in the distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program in the municipality, stressing that the process is being handled exclusively by the national agency.

In a statement, Garcia-Yulo said the DSWD maintains full authority over all aspects of the ECT rollout, including the transport of funds, on-site operations and beneficiary verification.

The DSWD has allotted four consecutive days to complete the payout using its own personnel.

The mayor cautioned listed beneficiaries to claim their assistance within the designated period, noting that any unclaimed funds after the four-day window will be retrieved by the DSWD and deemed forfeited under program rules.

The ECT is a post-disaster intervention that provides unconditional cash assistance to families affected by large-scale or community-wide calamities.

Unlike anticipatory aid released before disasters, the ECT is intended to deliver immediate relief, address urgent humanitarian needs, and help households begin early recovery.

Separately, Garcia Yulo reported that the municipal government is administering a distinct P20-million recovery fund for residents whose homes sustained damage ranging from minor to total destruction.

Of this amount, P10 million was coursed through the provincial government, while another P10 million was granted directly to the municipality by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to support local rehabilitation efforts./CJ, WDJ