The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V- Bicol Region held a coordination meeting to discuss the proposed implementation of a cash-based intervention for families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

The initiative, which aims to benefit 4Ps beneficiaries in the region’s most severely impacted areas, seeks to provide immediate financial support to vulnerable families, expediting relief efforts in the wake of the disaster.

In line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between WFP and DSWD, WFP presented a plan to support disaster-affected families through cash-based transfers, which would be managed through the agency’s existing social protection network. This approach aligns with DSWD’s Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) guidelines, ensuring that financial assistance is swiftly delivered to those most in need.

According to WFP Officer-in-Charge Dipayan Bhattacharyya in her letter to Secretary Rex Gatchalian, tapping into the 4Ps beneficiary list will allow for direct and efficient disbursement of cash assistance. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘺𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭. 𝘉𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘚𝘞𝘋, 𝘞𝘍𝘗 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, Bhattacharyya stated.

The proposed intervention would involve a Data Sharing Agreement under DSWD’s Memorandum Circular 08 series of 2022, which governs data sharing during states of calamity. With this agreement, WFP intends to access beneficiary information to facilitate secure and direct transfers to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, adhering to data privacy regulations.

Moving forward, the two agencies will finalize details on implementation, feasibility, and timelines to ensure timely delivery of support to the hardest-hit areas.

𝘞𝘍𝘗’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘩-𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman S. Laurio said.

The initiative emphasizes the commitment of WFP and DSWD Bicol to respond effectively to the needs of disaster-stricken families in the region, leveraging both food and cash support to strengthen the resilience and recovery of affected communities.