The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Philippines provides assistance to individuals in crisis through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. This program aims to provide immediate assistance to individuals and families who are experiencing crisis or emergency situations, such as natural disasters, fire incidents, and medical emergencies.
The AICS program provides a range of assistance, including hospitalization/medical assistance, burial assistance, transportation assistance, and educational assistance. The assistance provided depends on the nature and severity of the crisis, as well as the needs of the affected individuals or families. The program also provides counseling and referral services to help individuals cope with the crisis and access other forms of support.
Who may avail of the following services?
Generally, these programs are available for:
- Person needing social welfare development assistance
- Individuals/families in crisis situation
Who have not yet availed of CIU assistance during the year. - Who are indigent as certified by the Barangay Chairman of the area where they resides.
AICS Programs
1. HOSPITALIZATION OR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
One of the programs they offer is the in hospitalization and assistance program which includes medical assistance for indigent individuals or families who are experiencing a crisis or emergency.
Under this program, eligible individuals can receive financial assistance to cover hospitalization or medical expenses. The assistance can cover the cost of medicines, laboratory tests, hospital fees, and other related expenses. The amount of assistance provided varies depending on the nature of the crisis and the financial resources available.
To apply for medical assistance under the AICS program, individuals or families need to visit their local DSWD office and provide relevant documents such as the following:
- Clinical Abstract and/or
- Prescription (for medicine)
- Laboratory Request/Medical Procedures (recommended by the attending Physician)
- Billing Statement (for hospital bill)
- Social Case Study Report from LGU (optional)
- Barangay Certification/Indigency/ any valid ID of the patient or his/her representative (e.g. driver’s license, postal, school, voters and senior citizen ID)
- Referral/Endorsement letter from legislator, if applicable.
- Medical Certificate with license/PTR No. of the attending physician
- 2. BURIAL ASSISTANCE
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Philippines provides burial assistance to eligible indigent families who cannot afford to pay for funeral expenses. The burial assistance provided by the DSWD typically covers the costs of the funeral service, coffin, and transportation of the remains.
The amount of assistance provided may vary depending on the location and the prevailing funeral expenses in the area. However, the maximum amount of burial assistance that can be provided by the DSWD is PHP 10,000.
To be eligible for the burial assistance, the applicant must be an indigent family or an individual who is experiencing a crisis situation due to the death of a family member. The applicant must also submit the necessary documents as follow:
- Registered Death Certificate
- Funeral Contract
- Permit to Transfer (transport of cadaver)
- Barangay Certificate/any valid ID
- Social Case Study report from LGU (optional)
- Referral/Endorsement Letter from legislator, if applicable
3. TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE
Transportation assistance is another program by DSWD in the form of payment of transport tickets, either by air, land or sea and/or expenses during emergency, for travels of beneficiary within the country.
This applies to those returning to their home province permanently, or seek medical intervention in another place, attendance to emergency concerns such as death, care of sick family member or relative, rescue of abuses or trafficked relatives, or events of disaster/calamity that require immediate presence of the beneficiary.
To avail of the transportation assistance, individuals and families must submit a request to the DSWD through their local government unit (LGU) or social welfare and development office (SWDO) with the following requirements:
- Barangay Certification/Indigency/any valid ID
- Social Case Study Report from LGU (optional)
- Referral/Endorsement letter from legislator, if applicable
4. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also provides educational assistance. Under this program, eligible elementary students will receive P1,000; P2,000 for high school students; P3,000 for Senior High School and last but definitely not the least vocational/college level students will receive P4,000. Every three children of a family are eligible provided that they are:
- Breadwinner
- Working student
- Has no family/Living with relative
- Child of a solo parent
- Has parents with no source of living
- Child of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
- Child of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs)
- Child of HIV victims
- Victim of Domestic Abuse
- Victim of natural disasters
Here are the necessary documentary requirements:
- Certificate of Enrollment
- Barangay Certification/Indigency/any valid ID
- Referral/Endorsement letter from legislator, if applicable
- Social Case Study Report (optional)
How to avail any DSWD's AICS Program?
To know more about the programs, kindly visit the website of DSWD via these links:
- https://www.dswd.gov.ph/about-us-2/citizens-charter/processing-of-assistance-to-clients-of-dswd-crisis-intevention-unit/
- https://www.dswd.gov.ph/aics/
Source: Department of Social Welfare and Development
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