BANTAYAN ISLAND, Cebu – Around 2,000 families from the northern towns of this province devastated by typhoon “Frank” last year recently received financial assistance from the government in the form of Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA).

It can be recalled that in June last year, three northern towns of Cebu that include the municipalities of Bantayan, Santa Fe and Madridejos were heavily affected by typhoon “Frank” destroying millions of pesos worth of properties.

Typhoon “Frank” washed away some of the major roads in the said towns and even damaged local bridges.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. together with Regional 7 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 7) Director Evelyn Macapobre along with Cebu 4th District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon and Bantayan Mayor Geralyn Escario personally handed the financial assistance.

In his speech during the turnover of the financial assistance to the beneficiaries, Teodoro disclosed that President Arroyo sent him here to facilitate the distribution of the ESA, which will used to help the victims repair their damaged houses.

The P6.6 million financial assistance was ordered by the President to help the calamity victims in Cebu being one of the provinces that have been hardly hit by the said typhoon last year, he said.

On the same occasion, Teodoro announced that the President is in Cagayan together with DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral, who was supposed to be with him for the relief caravan, as a precautionary measure since upcoming typhoon “Santi” is expected to hit the area.