106 SAF 44 children, other dependents granted scholarships, educational assistance –PNP

Forty-six children of the Special Action Force (SAF) 44 who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January 2015 were granted "educational assistance certificates" and 60 relatives of the SAF 44 were given scholarships, the Philippine National Police said on Thursday.

 

The Presidential Social Fund is the funding source of 43 scholarships while the Commission on Higher Education granted seventeen study grants, the PNP also said in its news release.

 

Some 25 applicants "are still completing documentary requirements" while four either deferred or withdrew their requests.

 

The PNP said the amounts of the educational assistance the National Police Commission approved are as follows:

 

- Kindergarten per school year (P10,000.00)

- Elementary education per school year (P18,000.00)

- Secondary education per school year (P24,000.00)

- Vocational per semester (P18,000.00)

- College per semester (P30,000.00)

 

"The NAPOLCOM has amended its educational assistance program, wherein, the rules and laws were liberally interpreted to accommodate illegitimate children as beneficiaries of the educational assistance," the PNP also said.

 

Surviving kin of the SAF 44 received, as of last July 24, "a total of P69,566,524.88 in lump sum benefits, P1,016,995.70 pension benefits and P35,367,333.00 donations from the Senate of the Philippines, Congress, Local Government Units (LGUs), PNP, other government agencies and private donors," the PNP news release added.

 

The PNP also noted that some local government units have extended financial aid directly to the SAF 44 families and are not recorded by the PNP.

 

"Also, an undetermined amount of donations from other private donors was also extended directly to the families," the PNP said.  — Earl Victor Rosero, GMA News