The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will begin a cash assistance program to help indigent Filipino students for the upcoming School Year (SY) 2022-2023, said DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo on Thursday, Aug. 18.
This educational assistance is under the DSWD’s Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and it will be executed beginning Saturday, Aug. 20 until Sept. 24.
“This program aims to help our indigent students all over the country. Which means to say children coming from poor families will be given cash assistance to buy their school supplies or whatever they need in school such as school supplies, school fees, uniform, shoes, etc,” said Tulfo in a briefing.
Students or legal guardians may claim the said cash assistance as long as they present an enrollment certificate and school identification card.
“Sa main office, magbubukas po ang aming opisina mula alas syete ng umaga at tatapusin po namin yung mga tao na nasa pila. Sa aming field offices po, regional DSWD offices ay magbubukas po sila ng alas otso ng umaga. Ganon din po sa mga provincial DSWD natin maging sa ating satellite offices nationwide (In the main office, we will open from seven in the morning and we will finish the people in the queue. In our field offices, they will open at eight in the morning. The same applies to our provincial DSWD offices even to our satellite offices nationwide),” Tulfo added.
Elementary students are set to receive P1,000, high school students, on the other hand, will be given P2,000. Senior high learners will get P3,000, while college or students under vocational courses may receive P4,000.
Up to three children from each family may qualify for the said financial assistance program. Individuals who will claim the said aid may set an appointment schedule by sending an email to DSWD or choose the walk in method.
Tulfo, however, advised the public to set an appointment via email first.
“Don't worry po, na po ang budget. We saved around 500 million po na pondo para sa mga estudyante natin na indigent na kailangan ng mga gamit (Do not worry, the budget is already set aside. We saved around 500 million funds for our indigent students who are in need),” he added.
Around 24,000 individuals are expected to benefit from the said cash assistance program in DSWD Main Office alone.