DSWD: Cash aid extended to over 148,000 students, so far

Beneficiaries of the education assistance distributed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) form a more orderly queue outside the DSWD-NCR office in Sampaloc, Manila. (RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far distributed financial assistance to over 148,000 qualified students nationwide, Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said on Monday.

Lopez said a the DSWD has distributed aid worth P376.5 million since August 20.

Last Saturday alone, the DSWD was able to serve a total of 70,892 students, translating to P179.1 million cash aid distributed.

Lopez said the distribution system has improved since the debacle on August 20 where large crowds swarmed DSWD offices, prompting Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo to apologize to the public.

“The improvement, we can really attribute it with the coordination with the local government units, and of course the coordination and the cooperation of the would-be beneficiaries of the DSWD,” Lopez said in an interview on ABS CBN News Channel.

Lopez said that one of the changes in the aid payout is that walk-ins were discouraged and only those who have registered online and have received a text message will be accommodated.

“During the last payout, we discouraged walk-ins and we will only facilitate those who have received text confirmation after online registration,” he said.

“Indeed, our kababayans adhered to our call not to troop our payout centers and this led to a better implementation of educational payout last Saturday,” Lopez pointed out.

Up to 400,000 indigent students are anticipated to benefit from the educational cash support as P1.5 billion was earmarked for the program.

The DSWD earlier signed a pact with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to help with the distribution of the cash aid.

Under the agreement, the DILG will assist the DSWD through its local government units and deploy personnel to payout sites with the support of health and other service workers.

Security will be provided by the Philippine National Police, which is under the DILG.

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