Crowds of eager parents and students swarmed the main office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City Saturday morning, Aug. 20, to avail of the educational cash assistance provided by the government agency.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said more or less 1,000 people occupied the IBP Road.
According to DZBB reports, some of the parents and students have lined up outside the office since last night to early this morning.
As can be seen in the videos of the scene on social media, the crowd was overwhelming security guards at the entrance as they tried to push the office gate. Some even tried to climb the gate.
The QCPD deployed around 72 personnel to help control the situation.
As of 12 noon, the Batasan Police Station (PS-6) said it is now quiet and peaceful.
DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo announced Thursday, Aug. 18, that distribution of the educational cash assistance for students will begin on Saturday, Aug. 20.
The cash aid was given to help students buy equipment and materials for the coming resumption of face-to-face classes in public schools on Monday, Aug. 22.
Beneficiaries were told to avail of the cash aid only at the DSWD main office and field offices within the cities and the provinces.
Tulfo went outside of the office to address the crowd. He said they will only accommodate those who lined up before the cut off at 7 a.m. today.
“Pero I am not promising na mabibigyan po namin kayo ng educational assistance ngayong araw. Could be on Monday or Tuesday, but we will accommodate you today. Either bibigyan ka namin ng form, bibigay mo sa min, tatawagan ka namin, papapuntahin ka sa Monday o Tuesday para di ka na pumila. That’s what we’re going to do (But I am not promising that we will be able to give you the educational assistance today. It could be on Monday or Tuesday, but we will accommodate you today. We can give you a form, you give it to us, we’ll call you to go on Monday or Tuesday, so you don’t have to line up),” he said.