MANILA, Philippines — At least P5.28 billion worth of cash grants were given to 1.32 million parents of senior high school students, House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said on Friday.
In a statement, Romualdez confirmed that they had launched the Tulong Eskwela Program as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, announced in the latter’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona).
According to Romualdez, the cash aid would assist parents who find it hard to allocate funds to their children’s education needs, especially those already at the senior high school level.
“Ang Tulong Eskwela ay ang ating tugon sa hamon ng ating mahal na Pangulo sa kanyang huling Sona. At ang ating senior high education system ay malaking bahagi ng repormang ating ipinapatupad sa sektor ng edukasyon,” Speaker Romualdez said.
(Tulong Eskwela is our response to the challenge given by our beloved President in his last Sona. And our senior high education system is a big part of the reforms that we are implementing in the education sector.)
“Kadalasan ay kinakapos ang mga magulang sa pagtustos sa pagtatapos ng kanilang mga anak sa senior high school. At kapag hindi nagtapos, mahirap makakuha ng trabaho at mahirap magkaroon ng kontribusyon sa ating mga komunidad,” he added.
(Many parents often struggle to afford their children’s education until graduation. And if they fail to finish it, it’s hard to get jobs and it’s difficult to contribute to our communities.)
According to Romualdez, the Tulong Eskwela Program was simultaneously launched in 220 areas across the country.
Cash aid was given to 3,000 beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Ayuda para sa Kapos Ang Kita Program and another 3,000 parents under the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program, for each area.
A P3,000 cash grant was given to each of the 660,000 parents who are AKAP beneficiaries, while another 660,000 parents under the TUPAD program would get P5,000 each.
“The integration of AKAP and TUPAD within the Tulong Eskwela Program not only provides immediate relief but also employment opportunities for the families of our students. This dual approach ensures that we are addressing both the short-term and long-term needs of our communities,” Romualdez said.
“This initiative is designed to alleviate the financial burdens that often hinder our senior high school students from realizing their full potential. By providing critical financial assistance to families across the nation, we are ensuring that education remains a reachable goal for every Filipino child, regardless of their economic background,” he added.
Romualdez said that the Tulong Eskwela Program is also a form of investment as it would eventually help Filipino students reach their dreams and be productive members of society.
“Education is the cornerstone of progress, and it is through education that we can empower the next generation to lead our nation to greater heights. By enabling the youth to continue their education, we are investing in the development of a skilled, knowledgeable, and potent workforce,” Romualdez said.
“Simula pa lamang ito ng isang programang balak nating gawing pangmatagalan. Sa mga magulang ng ating mga senior high students, nawa’y maitawid natin sa tagumpay ang ating mga minamahal na anak. Kasama nyo ang pamahalaan sa pag-abot ng tagumpay,” he added.
(This is just the start of a program that we want to extend for a long time. For the parents of our senior high students, we hope this will help your children achieve the success that they want. The government is with you in reaching for triumph.)
During his Sona last July 22, Marcos presented graduates and examination topnotchers who came from families being assisted by the government, particularly through the conditional cash transfer program or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
In his speech, Marcos also vowed to close the digital gap in the education sector, by working towards providing students access to “computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books, and access to reliable power and the internet.”
Marcos also noted that there has been a significant uptick in the enrollment rate in colleges as well as in programs under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, saying that the higher number of students getting into technical-vocational education and training would be “instrumental in capacitating our people and maintaining our employment rate at consistently high levels.”
READ: Sona 2024: Marcos notes significant uptick of college, Tesda enrollments