ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 will push through the last two Saturday payouts for educational assistance today and on Sept. 24.
The DSWD’s central office downloaded an additional P26-million fund for the region.
According to Atty. May Rago-Castillo, DSWD regional information officer, the additional fund can serve around 10,000 qualified beneficiaries.
She added that so far there is no advise yet if the distribution of educational assistance will go beyond the scheduled six Saturdays or if there is still more fund for the remaining qualified applicants.
Earlier, it was reported that DSWD’s central office said only around 400,000 students may receive educational cash assistance for now, out of the two million who applied.
It also decided not to extend the cash aid distribution period beyond Sept. 24, as originally scheduled.
In Western Visayas, the regional office closed the online registration on Sept. 7. Data showed that almost 600,000 applicants registered online.
As of Sept. 10, there were around 36,131 students served in the region. Of the number, 3,956 are from Aklan with total disbursement of P10.3 million; 3,809 (P10.5 million) are from Antique; 4,186 (P11 million) are from Capiz; 11,686 (P35.2 million) are from Iloilo; 2,229 (P5.2 million) are from Guimaras; and 10,256 (P28.9 million) are from Negros Occidental.
Data also showed that 8,311 elementary students were served in the region with fund disbursement amounting to P8.3 million; 6,799 high school students with P13.5 million disbursement; 4,667 senior high school students with P14 million disbursement; and 16,354 college/vocational students with P65.4 million disbursement.
Meanwhile, the regional office advised the last two Saturdays’ applicants to come to the venue only if they received a text message or email.
Applicants are also told to bring water, food and ballpen; wear facemask and observe physical distancing; and avoid bringing kids or sick family remember during the payout.
The educational assistance under DSWD’s Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) is intended for students in crisis enrolled this school year to include 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 grades will receive 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./PN
