DSWD to give cash aid to indigent students every Saturday until Sept. 24

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will distribute financial assistance to indigent students every Saturday until September 24, Secretary Erwin Tulfo announced Thursday.

During the Palace briefing, Tulfo said the DSWD will give out P1,000 for elementary students, P2,000 for high school students, P3,000 for senior high school students, and P4,000 for college students or vocational courses.

He said there can be three beneficiaries per family.

“This program is aimed to help our indigent students all over the country, which means to say children coming from poor families will be given cash assistance to buy their school supplies or whatever that they need in school,” he said.

Tulfo said the DSWD central office will open at 7 a.m. while regional, provincial, and satellite offices will open at 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, those who wish to avail of the assistance only need to bring the enrollment certificate and their school ID.

“Ngayon, sino po ba ang pupwede? Lahat po ng mga bata, anak ng mahihirap. Hindi lamang po solo parent. Halos lahat na po kasi,” he said, later adding that beneficiaries of the 4Ps program are also qualified.

(Now, who are qualified? All children living in poverty. Not only children of solo parents.)

Tulfo said parents of elementary and high school students could get the assistance without bringing their children while senior high school students and college students may get the cash themselves.

He said those interested may set appointments or they can walk in.

“Pero we advise na mas maganda siguro na kayo ay mag-email na lamang muna sa amin. Don’t worry ho bayan, nakasugbi na ho 'yung budget, hindi kayo mauubusan niyan kasi we save around P500 million na pondo,” he said.

(But we advise you to email us first. Don’t worry, the budget has already been set aside for this. You will still receive it because we saved around P500 million in funds.)

When asked how they can make sure that only indigents will avail of the assistance, Tulfo said he is hoping that only indigents will line up.

“Ang question is, papaano natin malalaman? We are hoping na only indigents. Siguro naman ho ‘yung may mga pera hindi na magpupumila diyan ng six hours para makakuha ng pambayad ng 'ika nga uniporme o school supplies,” he said.

(The question is, how will we know? We are hoping that only indigents will avail of this. Maybe those with money will not line up for six hours just to get money for uniforms and school supplies.)

?Tulfo said he lessened the number of requirements, including a certificate of indigency from the barangay.

“Dati po may ganon. Ang problema po... inaalis natin muna ‘yon. Iba-bypass muna natin ‘yung mga indigency kasi napupulitika. That is very unfortunate,” he said.

(There was something like that before. The problem is...we took it out for now. It will be bypassed because it is being politicized. That is very unfortunate.)

“Mas marami nakakarating na reklamo, sumbong sa akin na namimili po… pinipili po na bibigyan ni chairman o ng barangay kagawad o sa Office of the Mayor ng indigency. Kung hindi po bumoto ‘yung pamilya hindi po nabibigyan,” he added.

(We received many complaints that the chairman or the barangay kagawad or the Office of the Mayor only give certificates to those who voted for them.)—AOL, GMA News