ILOILO City – Payout sites across Western Visayas are now closed. The distribution of educational assistance has come to an end.
A total of 46,055 students in elementary, high school, senior high school, and college/vocational across the region benefitted from the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The assessment and distribution of the aid were conducted in six Saturdays since Aug. 20 and the last payout was held on Sept. 24, with total fund disbursement amounting to P129,780,000.
Of the 46,055 student beneficiaries, a total of 10,375 students are in elementary; 8,639 in high school; 6,037 in senior high school; and 21,004 in college/vocational.
Here is the breakdown per province of the number of beneficiaries paid and total funds released:
* Aklan – 4,872 beneficiaries (P12.592 million)
* Antique – 4,983 beneficiaries (P13.998 million)
* Capiz – 5,277 beneficiaries (P14.450 million)
* Iloilo (including Iloilo City) – 14,999 beneficiaries (P45.333 million)
* Guimaras – 2,632 beneficiaries (P6.122 million)
* Negros Occidental (including Bacolod City) – 13,292 beneficiaries (P37.285 million)
Atty. May Rago-Castillo, DSWD-6 public information officer, said the regional office has fully utilized the funds provided for the educational assistance.
In fact, part of the fund for the DSWD-6 was used to augment just to reach more beneficiaries.
“To the people, rest assured that our office will always do our best in the delivery of social services. Even if there is no fund for educational assistance anymore, we continue in implementing other programs of DSWD,” said Rago-Castillo.
She also extended her congratulations to all who worked hard during the six Saturday payouts.
“Kudos to the workers for serving in the six Saturdays. Thank you also to LGUs, PNP and other partners for helping us,” she said.
The educational assistance is intended for students in crisis enrolled this school year, including breadwinners; working students; children of unemployed parents, solo parents, overseas Filipino workers in distress, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); orphaned, abandoned or staying with their relatives; abused or displaced children; and victims of human-induced or natural calamities.
Qualified beneficiary enrolled in elementary grade received P1,000; P2,000 for secondary; P3,000 for senior high school; and P4,000, college/vocational course.
The cash assistance is limited to three children per family.
To recall, DSWD-6 closed the online registration on Sept. 7; almost 600,000 applicants registered./PN
