DSWD: Assistance only for indigent students in crisis situations

MANILA, Philippines — The education assistance that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) issues from its multi-billion peso Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) fund are only for indigent students in crisis situations, according to the government agency.

The DSWD stressed that the educational assistance is given every year to indigent working college students as well as those studying in technical-vocational schools, state colleges and universities who have suffered a documented crises or emergency in the family.

Examples of these crises are those where indigent students belong to families that have been victims of fire or have been rendered homeless by typhoons or floods, those who have suffered death of a member, particularly a breadwinner father or mother, or those whose parents have been laid off of their jobs, among others.

Indigent students whose parents are overseas Filipino workers (OFW) but have been repatriated or deported are also eligible for the assistance.

The schedule for submission of documents and processing of requests for the assistance varies in every DSWD regional field office around the country. 

This clarification came following various posts circulating on Facebook that the DSWD is extending P3,500 educational assistance to college students.

The DSWD urged qualified students to check with the DSWD field office nearest them or to visit the agency’s official social media accounts for the schedule.

At the central office in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, for example, students were given until last Saturday to submit required documents, afterwhich, they scheduled for interview starting yesterday. Their assistance will also be released on the day of their interview.

The amount of assistance is determined by the social worker who makes assessment based on the guidelines for implementing the AICS.

Qualified students should proceed to the Crisis Intervention Unit of any DSWD office nearest them during office hours and bring the following: valid identification card, enrolment assessment form or certificate of enrolment or registration, validated school ID of the student-beneficiary and statement of account for college students. The social worker may also require the student-applicant to submit a barangay certificate of residency or certificate of indigency.

The DSWD assured fair and speedy assessment of the documents so that the education assistance is received by students who are truly in need.