DSWD: P141 million in education aid distributed as of August 21

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided at least P141 million in cash assistance for indigent students ahead of the opening of classes on Monday.

In a Facebook post, DSWD Undersecretary Jerico Javier showed data that the agency disbursed a total of P141,049,500 in educational aid to 48,033 beneficiaries as of 2:30 a.m. of August 21.

Most of the cash assistance amounting to P20,760,000 was given to 5,144 recipients in the Western Visayas.

It was followed by the Ilocos Region with P20,422,000 for 5,715 beneficiaries, Calabarzon with P14,292,000 for 5,019 beneficiaries, and Cagayan Valley with P10,563,000 for 4,360 beneficiaries.

The DSWD offices have also paid out P8.6 million in Soccsksargen, P8.1 million in the Bicol Region, P7.6 million in Northern Mindanao, P7.2 million in Central Visayas, P7.1 million in Central Luzon, P6.3 million in the Davao Region, P5.6 million in Mimaropa, P4.8 million in the Eastern Visayas, P3.7 million in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), P2.8 million in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and P719,000 in the Caraga Region.

The National Capital Region (NCR), meanwhile, has given P4,191,000 educational aid to some 1,594 clients.

The DSWD’s central office in Quezon City has also disbursed P7,844,000 to 2,149 clients.

In a message to GMA News Online, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo said that other regions in Mindanao were assisting the students based in the Bangsamoro Region.

“Regions 9, 10, 11, and 12 taking care of it. Mga provinces under BARMM will be taken care of by those regional offices. Like Jolo and Basilan under Region 9,” he said.

Tulfo said last Thursday that the agency would provide 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 every Saturday until September 24.

The DSWD tapped the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the distribution of education assistance through local government units after several beneficiary students and parents failed to make it to the cutoff on Saturday due to the huge crowds. — DVM, GMA News