By Alec Go
The distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) educational assistance to students-in-crisis continued on its second day, Aug. 27, with more or less 20,000 beneficiaries served as of Saturday noon.
In an interview at the National Vocational Rehabilitation Center payout site, DSWD Undersecretary Jerico Francis Javier reported that they have already distributed P40 million to P45 million worth of assistance as of noon.
Javier said the target payout for 90,000 beneficiaries will be covered within the day.
“Tuloy-tuloy pa naman, and nakikita niyo naman mabibilis ang pila ngayon. I think wala naman kaming nakikitang dahilan para hindi natin maabot ang target ngayong araw na ito,” he said.
He added that they will be looking into expanding the current three payout sites in Metro Manila.
With four remaining Saturdays for the payout, DSWD Assistant Secretary Rommel Lopez said the DSWD and local government units will assist beneficiaries without access to the internet for their registration.
“Kami na po ang maghahanap sa kanila. Puwede po tayong maglaan ng panahon para sila’y tulungan na mag-register. At the same time, kung saka-sakali, puwede na pong magka-offiste na payout para sa kanila,” he said.
“Ang assurance lang ng DSWD, lahat ng nangangailangan ano man ang kanilang kondisyon ay gagawan ng paraan,” he added.
The DSWD recently reiterated its reminder to beneficiaries to register first and wait for a confirmation message from their respective DSWD offices before heading to payout sites.
READ MORE: Register first to avoid crowding, DSWD tells educ aid beneficiaries
The DSWD has expanded its P500 million budget for the educational cash aid to P1.5 billion. The program provides qualified indigent elementary pupils with P1,000, high school students with P2,000, senior high schools students with P3,000, and college students with P4,000.
On Wednesday, Aug. 24, the DSWD inked a memorandum of agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for a more organized cash aid distribution.
READ MORE: DSWD, DILG ink MOA for educ aid payout
The money and all names of beneficiaries will still come from the DSWD. – With reports from Mela Lesmoras
