DSWD: Educational aid distribution successful, extension unlikely

The distribution of P1.7 billion worth of educational aid to 713,916 beneficiaries went successful, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday.

“Yung ating educational assistance, una nakakatuwa po dahil kahit papaano po ay talagang naging successful po 'yung anim na Sabado na pamamahagi natin ng ating educational assistance,”  DSWD spokesperson Rommel Lopez said in a radio interview.

(Regarding our education assistance, we are glad that the distribution of the educational assistance on six Saturdays was successful.)

“Ang atin pong napamahagi na ay P1.7 billion na po. 'Yung atin pong naabot ng ating programang ito ng ating educational assistance ay umabot na po sa 713,916 students o beneficiaries,” he added.

(We have distributed P1.7 billion already. Our educational assistance program reached 713,916 students or beneficiaries.)

Asked if the DSWD would extend the distribution of assistance under the program, Lopez said the department has already exhausted all the intended funds for it and even used an additional budget.

Initially, the DSWD allotted P1.5 billion for the educational assistance program. But DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo earlier said they would need an additional P200 million to P300 million to reopen its educational assistance program for indigent students.

Tulfo said the P1.5-billion budget was not enough, considering that the number of students who registered in their system reached 2 million.

DSWD initially targeted to serve only about 400,000 students nationwide.

Under the program, up to three students per indigent family could receive 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. —KBK, GMA News