ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas is joining other regional offices in the country in the releasing of educational assistance for indigent and in-crisis Filipino students for the upcoming school year 2022-2023.
According to Atty. May Rago, regional information officer of the DSWD-6, the payout for the eligible beneficiaries which will start at 8 a.m. today will be done in six areas such as in Iloilo Sports Complex in La Paz district for Iloilo province and Iloilo City; Aklan Provincial Capitol lobby in Kalibo town for Aklan; San Jose Antique Municipal Activity Center in San Jose town for Antique; Villareal Stadium in Roxas City for Capiz; Guimaras Provincial Capitol gym in San Miguel, Jordan for Guimaras; and Ayala Malls Capital Central in Bacolod City for Negros Occidental.
Rago said the distribution of the assistance will be carried for six consecutive Saturdays starting today, August 20, August 27, September 3, September 10, September 17, and September 24, thus, there is no need for the applicants to rush today.
“Ang aton panawagan sa aton mga kautoran is this will be conducted in six Saturdays so indi sila kinanglan magdinaguso tomorrow. Pwede gid nga ma-send sila anay email sa iga-provide anay namon nga address para dira nila ila i-send ang ila documents kag mahulat sila sang ila nga schedule,” said Rago yesterday.
For those who cannot be catered today, the DSWD-6 field personnel themselves will go down to their areas to assist and be given the assistance.
Rago noted that so far, they have no specific number of target beneficiaries yet in the region. But the DSWD regional office assured that they have enough funds for qualified beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the DSWD-6 has already coordinated with the Philippine National Police to ensure the crowd will be controlled as well as for security.
The one-time Educational Assistance Payout to Students-in-Crisis is under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program wherein it can be used to pay for school fees, school supplies, projects, allowances, and other fees.
The department has specific guidelines for those who can avail. Those who are considered students-in-crisis are breadwinner, working student, orphan/abandoned and living with relatives, child of a single parent, child whose parents are unemployed, child of an overseas Filipino worker, victim of child abuse, have a parent with human immunodeficiency virus or HIV, and victim of calamity or disaster.
Under the program, the eligible beneficiary may receive P1,000 for elementary pupil; P2,000 for those in high school; P3,000 for senior high school student; and P4,000 for those in college/vocational school.
Also, up to three children from each family may qualify for the said program.
Walk-in applicants must bring their requirements which include student’s certificate of registration/enrollment, valid ID of parent/guardian, and valid ID of college student/vocational education student who will receive the assistance./PN
