CEBU Province will begin distributing the P712 million National Housing Authority (NHA) assistance for Super Typhoon Odette survivors on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, nearly four years after the 2021 disaster and weeks after the National Government cleared the release of the long-delayed funds.
The aid forms part of the amount that Gov. Pamela Baricuatro requested from the NHA earlier in 2025, a request that the NHA acted on in November following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Baricuatro publicly announced the approval of the release.
The funds had remained idle for years due to a policy disagreement between the NHA and the previous Capitol administration. The NHA originally intended to distribute P10,000 in cash directly to each eligible household. However, the administration of then-governor Gwendolyn Garcia proposed distributing the aid through a “Dasig Sugbo Card” system instead.
In a report from SunStar Cebu on Nov. 21, NHA 7 Manager Hermes Jude Juntilo said the card system arrangement violated Emergency Housing Assistance Program guidelines. The NHA Central Office rejected the proposal, citing potential audit risks. Consequently, the money remained unspent while Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City completed their separate fund distributions in 2023 and 2024.
First payout
Cebu Provincial Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces confirmed on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, that the Province would begin releasing the financial assistance the following day. “The P712 million NHA Odette assistance is commencing distribution,” Empaces said in his Facebook post. He confirmed that Carcar City would be the first payout site, with most southern Cebu towns — areas heavily affected by Super Typhoon Odette — scheduled next.
Stimulate economy
Empaces said the transfer payments are intended to provide essential income to vulnerable households whose homes were damaged during the Dec. 16, 2021 typhoon. “These transfer payments and benefits will provide essential income to vulnerable populations, who will subsequently utilize these funds for goods and services, thereby stimulating the local economy,” he said.
He added that the rollout “represents a significant advantage for Cebu and exemplifies the positive outcomes achievable through strong collaboration between national agencies and Cebu Province for the benefit of all Cebuanos.” More payout schedules and locations are expected to be released by the Province in coordination with the NHA. / CDF