THOUSANDS of Cebuano families finally received the emergency housing aid they had long been waiting for after Typhoon Odette destroyed their homes nearly four years ago.

Balamban, Asturias, and Carcar City are the first local government units (LGUs) in Cebu Province to complete distribution under the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) P712-million Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which provides P10,000 per household for homes that were completely destroyed.

As of Monday, Jan. 19, Balamban assisted 1,144 households, Asturias reached 400 families, and Carcar City led in total recipients with 5,787 households.

The most recent payouts in Balamban and Asturias were held at the Balamban Gym on January 15, 2026, in coordination with the NHA and the Cebu Provincial Government.

Cebu Provincial Government Chief of Staff James Canoy said the pace of distribution now depends on how quickly LGUs submit validated beneficiary lists approved by national agencies.

He noted that the NHA follows a “first come, first serve” policy, prioritizing LGUs that submit complete documentation ahead of others.

“At least naa silay free will kung unsaon nila paggamit, ug dili na QR-coded pareha sauna,” Canoy said, highlighting that beneficiaries can now use the cash aid freely, unlike previous QR-coded programs.

More than 70,000 families across Cebu are expected to benefit. Provincial officials urged the remaining municipalities and cities to finalize and submit their beneficiary lists to avoid further delays, as thousands of households remain without assistance years after the typhoon.

The release of the funds follows Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s push to reactivate the EHAP after it was returned to the National Treasury, during the time of former Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

In a Nov. 18, 2025, letter to NHA General Manager Joeben A. Tai, Baricuatro wrote, “As the People’s Governor, I firmly believe that the affected Cebuanos deserve to receive what is rightfully theirs despite the years that had passed.”

Under the previous administration, officials had proposed

extending aid to more than 350,000 households, including those with partially damaged homes, through the QR-coded Dasig Sugbo Card system.

NHA 7 Manager Hermes Jude Juntilo said this would have violated EHAP guidelines and risked audit issues and allegations of fund misuse.

“Our general manager did not allow the province to handle the implementation. In the end, the funds were returned to the National Treasury,” he said.

The NHA completed distribution in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities in 2023 and 2024, but the provincial allocation stalled due to conflicting data and policy disputes.

Baricuatro’s administration is now coordinating with NHA 7 to reconcile beneficiary lists and ensure transparent and equitable distribution to all households whose homes were destroyed by Typhoon Odette.(MyTVCebu)

By Kaiser Jan Fuentes

THOUSANDS of Cebuano families finally received the emergency housing aid they had long been waiting for after Typhoon Odette destroyed their homes nearly four years ago.

Balamban, Asturias, and Carcar City are the first local government units (LGUs) in Cebu Province to complete distribution under the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) P712-million Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which provides P10,000 per household for homes that were completely destroyed.

As of Monday, Jan. 19, Balamban assisted 1,144 households, Asturias reached 400 families, and Carcar City led in total recipients with 5,787 households.

The most recent payouts in Balamban and Asturias were held at the Balamban Gym on January 15, 2026, in coordination with the NHA and the Cebu Provincial Government.

Cebu Provincial Government Chief of Staff James Canoy said the pace of distribution now depends on how quickly LGUs submit validated beneficiary lists approved by national agencies.

He noted that the NHA follows a “first come, first serve” policy, prioritizing LGUs that submit complete documentation ahead of others.

“At least naa silay free will kung unsaon nila paggamit, ug dili na QR-coded pareha sauna,” Canoy said, highlighting that beneficiaries can now use the cash aid freely, unlike previous QR-coded programs.

More than 70,000 families across Cebu are expected to benefit. Provincial officials urged the remaining municipalities and cities to finalize and submit their beneficiary lists to avoid further delays, as thousands of households remain without assistance years after the typhoon.

The release of the funds follows Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s push to reactivate the EHAP after it was returned to the National Treasury, during the time of former Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

In a Nov. 18, 2025, letter to NHA General Manager Joeben A. Tai, Baricuatro wrote, “As the People’s Governor, I firmly believe that the affected Cebuanos deserve to receive what is rightfully theirs despite the years that had passed.”

Under the previous administration, officials had proposed

extending aid to more than 350,000 households, including those with partially damaged homes, through the QR-coded Dasig Sugbo Card system.

NHA 7 Manager Hermes Jude Juntilo said this would have violated EHAP guidelines and risked audit issues and allegations of fund misuse.

“Our general manager did not allow the province to handle the implementation. In the end, the funds were returned to the National Treasury,” he said.

The NHA completed distribution in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities in 2023 and 2024, but the provincial allocation stalled due to conflicting data and policy disputes.

Baricuatro’s administration is now coordinating with NHA 7 to reconcile beneficiary lists and ensure transparent and equitable distribution to all households whose homes were destroyed by Typhoon Odette.(MyTVCebu)

• Tags
• #Typhoon Odette
• #Cebuano families
• #Balamban
• #Asturias
• #Carcar City
• #Cebu Province
• #National Housing Authority
• #NHA
• #Emergency Housing Assistance Program
• #EHAP
• #P712 million
• #P10,000 per household
• #destroyed homes
• #Balamban Gym
• #January 15
• #2026
• #Cebu Provi