CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A total of 2,306 students from different levels in Northern Mindanao received educational assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during the first payout day Saturday, Aug. 20.

The DSWD-Region 10 said they distributed P7,654,000 cash assistance to distressed students in the entire region.
The DSWD satellite office in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon had the highest number of beneficiaries among all the satellite offices, including the regional office.
It accommodated 353 beneficiaries and distributed P966,000 in educational assistance.
Next was the office of the DSWD-Region 10 here with 342 beneficiaries. The regional office distributed the highest amount of cash assistance – P1,313,000.
The DSWD satellite office in Iligan City served 328 beneficiaries (P914,000), followed by Valencia City, Bukidnon with 291 (P910,000), Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental with 278 (P1,041,000), Maramag, Bukidnon and Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental with 194 beneficiaries each (P740,000 and P689,000 respectively); Camiguin with 155 (P478,000); Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental with 113 (P437,000); and Tubod, Lanao del Norte with 58 (P166,000).
Frustrated parents and students who patiently waited and ended up empty handed Saturday had insisted, based on their observations, that DSWD-Region 10 had only catered less than 400 applicants after their cutoff time.
In response, DSWD-10 Information Officer Roshiel Galia explained that there were applicants who registered online but failed to visit the regional office due to the numerous applicants waiting outside.
“Some of the online applicants failed to go sa (to the) office because of the news nga naay siksikan (that there were overcrowding (outside the office),” Galia said.