MANILA — A party-list lawmaker on Monday called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to grant some form of emergency financial assistance or “Pantawid Enrolment” cash grant for college students affected by the rising inflation and widespread effects of Typhoon Ompong.
1-Ang Edukasyon Rep. Salvador Belaro said the college cash aid could prevent students from discontinuing their studies due to financial reasons.
“Families with college students now have financial worries because of the final exams in October and the enrolment for the second semester in the weeks ahead,” Belaro said.
“Ito ang nakikita kong agarang solusyon sa namumuo at malapit nang sumabog na problema ng mataas na bilang ng college dropouts ngayong taon sa hanay ng mga nag-aaral sa mga pribadong kolehiyo (This, I think, is the immediate solution to the brewing and ballooning problem of high college dropout rates this year, particularly students in private colleges),” he added.
Belaro noted that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law has a provision authorizing the national government to come up with “other social benefits programs to be developed and implemented by the government,” which could be used as source for the proposed cash grant.
The party-list lawmaker also urged Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officer-in-charge (OIC) and Commissioner Prospero de Vera to work with the DSWD on how the college students in financial distress can be helped by the proposed cash assistance.
“I ask CHED OIC Commissioner Prospero de Vera to immediately meet with the leaders of the COCOPEA (Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associates), PAASCU (Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities), ALCU (Association of Local Colleges and Universities) and other inter-school associations to come up with swift response measures to keep college students from dropping out because of financial reasons,” he added. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
