No walk-ins allowed to get DSWD educational cash aid

This is the crowd waiting to get educational assistance from the DSWD on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. (Photo posted by Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo on his Facebook timeline).

MANILA, Philippines — Walk-in transactions are no longer allowed for poor students trying to get financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Secretary Erwin Tulfo said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

The policy is meant to avoid drawing huge crowds like those that trooped to the DSWD central and regional offices last Saturday.

Many of them were beneficiaries who went for a walk-in transaction.

“We won’t do that. That’s the strict instruction. This will be the difference,” Tulfo said, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino.

Only beneficiaries who registered online will be accepted, he stressed,

“I think this is a blessing in disguise because what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants is to digitize the government. So we have to start it now,” Tulfo said.

Those who want to avail of the program could register online and email through [email protected].

According to Tulfo, the amounts of assistance will be as follows:

• P1,000 for elementary students
• P2,000 for junior high school students
• P3,000 for senior high school students
• P4,000 for college students or those taking vocational courses

Up to three students per family can get cash assistance, for which the DSWD had earmarked P500 million, Tulfo said.

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