DSWD: 48,000 received educational aid on first day of distribution
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development was able to give 48,000 people educational aid on Saturday despite the chaos that ensued on the first day of distribution.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo said the 3 a.m. final report accounted for both online applicants and walk-in beneficiaries of the department’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program meant to help indigent students.
"Umabot po sa P141 million ang naipamigay kahapon sa mga estudyante sa buong bansa," Tulfo said.
(Total aid distributed to students nationwide yesterday reached P141 million.)
On Saturday, thousands swarmed DSWD offices across the country. The department has allotted six Saturdays throughout August and September to distribute the cash aid, but students will already go back to in-person learning this Monday.
“Sa mga darating na Sabado, katuwang na namin ang DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government at mga LGU (local government units). Magtutungo na po ang DSWD sa inyo at ang payout ay gagawin na namin sa mga lungsod at bayan ninyo,” Tulfo said on Sunday.
(In the coming Saturdays, we will be joined by the DILG and the LGUs to distribute the cash aid. The DSWD will go to you and the payout will be given at the city and town level.)
The DSWD chief in a briefing on Saturday said they attempted to give the crowd stubs, which would allow them to get cash on Monday instead, but most individuals refused because they wanted to be accommodated immediately. Tulfo said some lined up as early as Friday night.
Ilagan City in Isabela saw several individuals passing out while in line due to heat and exhaustion. DSWD Region 2 said 12,000 students went to its four field offices, but only 4,000 were accommodated.
READ: 'Unorganized' distribution of DSWD educational assistance leads to overcrowding
In Zamboanga City, at least 29 parents and students ended up getting injured due to a stampede.
The P500-million program is aimed to assist "students-in-crisis," which include breadwinners, working students, and children of solo parents, unemployed parents, and distressed overseas Filipino workers.
Those in college and vocational courses will be given P4,000, P3,000 for senior high school students, P2,000 for high school students, and P1,000 for elementary students.
Students will go back to school on Monday for the first time since the country imposed quarantine restrictions in March 2020. The Department of Education reported over 23.561 million students have enrolled for the upcoming school year.
Public school teachers earlier called against the government’s decision to move the first day of classes to August 22 as this meant their two-month school break was cut off, limiting their preparation time for the resumption of face-to-face classes. — with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico, Halee Andrea Alcaraz, Roel Pareño, and Angelica Yang
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