Calamity or emergency assistance refers to the various programs and resources established to support individuals, families, and communities affected by natural or man-made disasters. These assistance programs are vital for helping affected populations recover from immediate impacts, ensuring access to essential services, and promoting long-term resilience against future calamities.
Understanding calamity assistance programs, particularly in a disaster-prone country like the Philippines, as typhoons, earthquakes, and other emergencies frequently occur. Knowing about these resources means individuals can seek timely help and recover more effectively, ultimately fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience.
Types of Calamity or Emergency Assistance Programs in the Philippines
In the Philippines, calamity assistance programs can be categorized based on the type of assistance they provide. Here are the main types of calamity assistance programs available in the country:
- Housing Assistance Programs: Housing Assistance Programs are designed to support individuals and families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed due to natural or man-made disasters. These programs provide immediate and long-term assistance to help affected families rebuild their lives and secure safe living conditions.
- Financial Assistance Programs: Financial Assistance Programs provide monetary support to individuals and families affected by disasters, helping them cover urgent financial needs. These programs often offer loans or grants with flexible repayment terms to ease the financial burden during recovery.
- Individual and Family Support Programs: These programs provide a safety net for individuals and families facing crises due to disasters. They address various needs, including financial aid, emotional support, and essential services.
- Medical and Health Support Programs: Medical and Health Support Programs focus on providing essential healthcare services and assistance to individuals affected by disasters. They aim to alleviate the health-related impacts of calamities through various forms of support.
- Livelihood and Recovery Assistance: Livelihood and Recovery Assistance Programs aim to help individuals and families regain their income sources and improve their living conditions after a disaster. These programs provide financial support for rehabilitation and the resumption of livelihood activities.
- Community and Local Government Support Programs: Community and Local Government Support Programs involve collaboration between government agencies and local authorities to deliver timely assistance to affected communities. These programs ensure that aid reaches the most vulnerable populations and address immediate community needs.
- Specialized Assistance for Specific Groups: Specialized Assistance Programs target particular groups that may require tailored support due to their unique circumstances. These programs recognize the diverse needs of various populations affected by disasters, providing specific aid and services.
These calamity assistance programs work together to provide comprehensive support to affected individuals and communities, addressing immediate needs, facilitating recovery and promoting resilience in the face of disasters.
For specific information on the actual calamity or emergency assistance programs available in the country, you maycheck this list below:
1. Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP)
Provider: Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)
Best for: Families impacted by natural and man-made disasters needing immediate housing support
EHAP is a quick-response aid initiative that assists families whose homes are damaged or destroyed by disasters. Originally known as the Housing Materials Assistance Program (HOMA), this program has been optimized for faster assistance. It provides either cash or housing materials, enabling families to begin the rebuilding process swiftly.
Features:
- Flexible aid in cash or housing materials for home repairs
- Rapid response for affected families
- Covers both natural and human-caused disaster relief
- Simplified application process for quicker assistance
2. Emergency Shelter Assistance Program (ESAP)
Provider: DHSUD
Best for: Families affected by disasters needing home repair or reconstruction
The Emergency Shelter Assistance Program provides cash or materials to families whose homes were damaged by natural or human-induced disasters, allowing them to rebuild without relocating. This program helps families recover quickly by supporting repairs to partially or totally damaged homes. It aims to protect families from prolonged exposure to vulnerabilities by addressing urgent shelter needs.
Features:
- Cash or construction material assistance
- Direct cash or check payout, including options through service providers like GCash, Cebuana, and Palawan
- Eligibility limited to homeowners with disaster-damaged homes
- Assistance only for those not receiving similar support from other agencies
- Requires documentation, including damage classification, proof of indigency, and barangay certification
3. Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP)
Provider: DHSUD
Best for: Disaster-affected families needing shelter support from immediate response to long-term recovery
IDSAP is a comprehensive shelter assistance program that addresses the needs of families impacted by disasters, offering aid across emergency, early recovery, and rehabilitation phases. It provides immediate shelter support, financial assistance for repairs, and temporary rental subsidies, along with options for permanent housing solutions. The program is structured to assist families at every stage of post-disaster recovery.
Features:
- Emergency Shelter Support: One-time assistance for homes with total damage
- Financial Assistance for Shelter Recovery: Cash or vouchers for house repair or rebuilding
- Rental Subsidy: Temporary housing support for families unable to rebuild immediately
- Rehabilitation and Recovery: Long-term housing and living condition restoration
4. Disaster Resilient Housing Program
Provider: DHSUD
Best for: Families affected by natural disasters in need of resilient housing solutions
This program focuses on building safe, sustainable housing for families impacted by natural disasters, with structures designed to withstand future calamities. Key initiatives include the Yolanda Permanent Housing Project and the Marawi Rehabilitation Housing Program. The program aims to ensure secure, disaster-ready homes that promote long-term community stability.
Features:
- Disaster-resistant housing designs
- Resilient construction to withstand natural calamities
- Notable projects: Yolanda Permanent Housing, Marawi Rehabilitation
5. Enhanced Emergency Loan
Provider: Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
Best for: GSIS members affected by natural calamities
The Enhanced Emergency Loan is designed to support GSIS members in areas declared under a state of calamity, offering increased loan amounts to meet urgent financial needs. The program relaxes certain application requirements, ensuring quicker fund release. It helps members recover from the impacts of natural disasters.
Features:
- Loanable amount: Php20,000 for new applicants, Php40,000 for existing borrowers
- Interest rate: 6% per annum
- Payment term: 3 years (36 months)
- Monthly amortization: Php655.56 for Php20,000, Php1,311.11 for Php40,000
- Proceeds credited to eCard or UMID card
6. Pensioners Emergency Loan
Provider: GSIS
Best for: Pensioners in calamity-affected areas
The GSIS Pensioners Emergency Loan provides financial support to pensioners impacted by natural disasters. It allows pensioners to borrow up to Php20,000, repayable over 36 months at a 6% annual interest rate. This program is intended to offer immediate assistance to those in areas declared under a state of calamity.
Features:
- Loan amount: Up to Php20,000
- Interest rate: 6% per annum
- Repayment term: 36 months
- Monthly amortization: Php655.56
- Eligibility: Old-age pensioners under RA 660, PD 1146, or RA 8291 in disaster-affected areas
- Application method: In-person at GSIS offices
7. Calamity Loan
Provider: Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund)
Best for: Members affected by natural disasters and calamities
The Pag-IBIG Fund Calamity Loan provides financial assistance to members in calamity-affected areas, allowing them to access up to 80% of their Pag-IBIG Regular Savings. This loan aims to help members manage urgent financial needs during disasters. It offers favorable terms to ease the financial burden on borrowers.
Features:
- Loan Amount: Up to 80% of total Pag-IBIG Regular Savings, less any outstanding loans
- Interest Rate: 5.95% per annum
- Loan Term: 2 to 3 years (defaults to 3 years if unspecified)
- Disbursement Options: Available via disbursement card, bank account, or check
- Payment Methods: Salary deduction, over-the-counter, or authorized payment channels
- Late Payment Penalty: 1/20 of 1% per day of delay
- Offsetting: Immediate offset for reasons like total disability, health-related separation, or layoffs
8. SSS Calamity Loan
Provider: Social Security System (SSS)
Best for: SSS members affected by natural disasters and emergencies
The SSS Calamity Loan offers financial aid to members affected by declared calamities, helping them manage expenses and recover. It provides an affordable loan option with a flexible repayment period to ease the financial burden. This program is available only during official states of calamity.
Features:
- Loan amount: Equivalent to one month’s salary credit or requested amount, whichever is lower
- Repayment period: 24 months
- Available during officially declared calamities
- Low-interest rates
- Quick and accessible application process
9. DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS)
Provider: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Best For: Individuals and families experiencing unexpected crises.
The AICS program is a social safety net designed to provide immediate financial and non-financial assistance to vulnerable populations during emergencies. This program addresses various needs, including medical, funeral, transportation, educational, and food aid, adapting to the changing demands of the community. By alleviating hardships, AICS aims to ensure the well-being and stability of individuals and families facing challenging circumstances.
Features:
- Medical Assistance: Up to PHP 150,000; frequency varies (e.g., once per admission for hospitalization).
- Funeral Assistance: Up to PHP 50,000; per beneficiary per incident of death.
- Transportation Assistance: Actual travel costs covered; once per year, with exceptions for consecutive family deaths or urgent medical travel.
- Educational Assistance: Up to PHP 10,000; available once per school year or semester, depending on education level.
- Food Assistance: Up to PHP 5,000; available quarterly or per admission for patients.
- Cash Assistance for Other Support Services: Up to PHP 10,000; once per applicable incident.
- Material Assistance: Family food packs and hygiene kits provided.
- Psychosocial Support: Psychological First Aid and social work counseling available.
- Referral Services: Connections to other support programs for additional assistance.
10. Welfare Assistance Program (WAP)
Provider: Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
Best for: OWWA members and their families facing difficulties due to calamities, death, disability, illness, or economic hardships.
The Welfare Assistance Program (WAP) is a financial support initiative by OWWA designed to assist both active and inactive members who are not eligible for regular social benefit programs. It provides cash relief for those affected by natural or man-made disasters, bereavement, disabilities, and medical needs. WAP aims to alleviate the hardships faced by OWWA members and their dependents in times of crisis.
Features:
- Calamity Assistance: ₱500.00 (inactive) / ₱1,000.00 (active) for natural disasters; ₱1,500.00 (inactive) / ₱3,000.00 (active) for man-made disasters.
- Bereavement Assistance: Up to ₱20,000.00 for the death of an OWWA member.
- Disability Assistance: ₱2,500.00 to ₱25,000.00 for temporary/partial disability; ₱50,000.00 to ₱100,000.00 for permanent disability.
- Medical Assistance: Cash grants for illnesses not covered by MEDplus.
- Relief Assistance: Temporary financial aid for members laid off or displaced due to crises.
11. Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program
Provider: Department of Agriculture (DA)
Best for: Small farmers and fisherfolk affected by disasters, particularly those impacted by the Taal volcano.
The SURE Assistance Program provides financial support and rehabilitation services for small farmers and fisherfolk impacted by disasters. It includes cash assistance and loans to help cover immediate needs and support recovery efforts. The program also ensures the proper care of livestock through custodianship arrangements for those unable to care for their animals during recovery.
Features:
- Insurance Pre-payout Cash Assistance: Valuation-based cash assistance for delivered livestock
- Emergency Loan Assistance: Loans up to ₱25,000, payable over 8 years with a 1-year grace period at zero interest
- Recovery Loan Assistance: Funding for rehabilitation or resumption of farming/fishing activities
- Animal Genetic Conservation and Rehabilitation: Custodianship and care for rescued animals during recovery period
12. PCSO Calamity Assistance Program (CAP)
Provider: Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)
Best for: Families and individuals impacted by calamities and disasters
The Calamity Assistance Program (CAP) offers support to families and individuals affected by disasters through local government units (LGUs) and authorized agencies. It aims to address immediate needs during calamities and medical emergencies by providing assistance directly to those in need. The program ensures that help reaches the affected communities effectively and promptly.
Features:
- Assistance provided to families and individuals affected by disasters
- Direct support through LGUs and authorized health facilities
- Requires documentation from LGUs, including a resolution and ID, and from health facilities, including DOH licensing and situational reports
13. GSIS Emergency Loan
Provider: GSIS
Best for: Government employees affected by calamities
The GSIS Emergency Loan is designed for members adversely impacted by disasters, providing financial support during challenging times. This loan has a repayment period of three years, consisting of 36 equal monthly installments at a 6% annual interest rate. If renewed, the outstanding loan balance will be deducted from the new loan amount.
Features:
- Repayment period: 3 years (36 months)
- Interest rate: 6% per annum
- Eligibility: Must be a government employee in a declared calamity area, active service, no outstanding arrears in mandatory contributions, and no loans in default
- Application method: Available through GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosks for eCard/UMID card holders
14. SSS Calamity Assistance Package
Provider: SSS
Best for: Members and pensioners affected by earthquakes
The SSS Calamity Assistance Package offers financial aid to members and pensioners impacted by earthquakes, providing access to the Calamity Loan Assistance Program (CLAP) and a three-month advance pension. The package is available to those residing in areas declared under a state of calamity by relevant authorities. This initiative aims to support recovery efforts and ease the financial burden caused by disasters.
Features:
- Calamity Loan Assistance Program (CLAP):
- Loan amount: Up to one month’s salary credit (MSC), calculated from the average of the last 12 MSCs.
- Eligibility: At least 36 monthly contributions (6 in the last 12 months), residents of calamity areas, and not receiving final benefits.
- Application: Submit online via My.SSS account.
- Three-Month Advance Pension:
- Available to retirement, disability, and survivor pensioners in calamity areas.
- Required documents: Completed Application for Assistance Form certified by the Barangay Chairman or alternative certifications.
- Not applicable to pensioners with existing loans under the Pension Loan Program (PLP).
15. Grab Care Package Calamity Assistance
Provider: Grab
Best for: Drivers affected by natural disasters like typhoons, fires, or earthquakes.
Grab’s Calamity Assistance offers monetary aid to drivers impacted by disasters. Eligible drivers can receive assistance for vehicle damage or personal injuries caused by calamities. Claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with a maximum reimbursement of ₱5,000 credited to the driver’s cash wallet within 48 hours.
Features:
- Assistance Types: Fire, Earthquake, Robbery, and Typhoon Assistance
- Maximum Reimbursement: ₱5,000 per vehicle
- Claim Requirements:
- Grab-registered name, mobile number, and email
- Description of the incident
- Photos of the incident
- One government-issued ID
- Operator’s GCash number
- Official receipt for repairs (if applicable)
- Contact information of the car repair shop
- Payment Method: Reimbursement via cash wallet or approved advance depending on the situation
- Claim Submission Deadline: Varies by disaster event; specific deadlines will be communicated.
Video: Disaster Preparedness and Response Programs in the Philippines
Disaster preparedness and response involve the planning and actions taken to effectively manage and mitigate the impacts of natural and man-made disasters, ensuring that communities can respond swiftly and efficiently when emergencies occur. This process is essential because it minimizes risks, saves lives, protects property, and enhances community resilience, enabling quicker recovery and reduced long-term effects of disasters. Learn more about the old disaster preparedness and response programs from this video from USAID ASIA 10 years ago and see how well it improved over the years, if it did.
Summary
There are various calamity assistance programs in the Philippines designed to provide timely support and relief to individuals and communities affected by disasters. With these programs addressing diverse needs such as housing, financial aid, health care, and livelihood recovery, the Filipinos can stay resilient and recover by rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of whatever calamities come their way.