According to DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will consider the possibilities of DSWD cash aid availment extension and house-to-house distribution to qualified students. The department first announced that they allotted P1.5 billion for the program and would only give out monetary assistance over four Saturdays of September which are 3,10,17 and 24.

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Educational Assistance Extension

“If we still have the funds, we’re not discounting the possibility of extending the payout periods for our kababayans,” he said via Inquirer.Net report. “The problem is we still have a lot of programs that we cater to on a daily basis. This [educational assistance] might hamper all our programs,” he added.

He said that the organization would look into releasing the cash aid on weekdays, but only in a few regions because each regional office is in charge of creating its own distribution system. Lopez added that because the DSWD also manages other assistance programs like medical aid, burial aid, and the like, the agency initially designated payout on Saturdays.

“Hindi lang namin maipangako na in all regions would be the same kasi kanya kanya na demands o kumbaga uniqueness ‘yung ating region that’s why we’re giving them a free hand to come up with an effective system to better serve our clients,” Lopez made clear.

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House-to-house distribution

Since the DSWD offices were overwhelmed by enormous crowds on August 20, the agency has prohibited walk-in applications. Only those who have registered online and received a text confirmation would be allowed to enter payout sites.

Lopez stated that in order to increase distribution even further, the DSWD may also look into distributing the cash aid through house-to-house particularly to people without internet access who are unable to register online.

“During the pandemic, the DSWD social workers nagbahay-bahay na, this will be allotted to would-be beneficiaries who doesn’t have access to internet so that it would be fair para sa kanila. Hindi naman natin madi-discount na mayroon talagang walang access to internet,” he said.

The DSWD has currently helped approximately 148,000 eligible students. The program is anticipated to help up to 400,000 indigent students.

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Students-in-crisis

Students-in-crisis shall include breadwinner, working student, orphan/living with relatives, 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, and victim of natural disasters.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries and government scholars are excluded from the program and should refund the amount they received last August 20.

Cash Aid Amount

Qualified elementary students will receive P1,000; P2,000 for high school students; P3,000 for Senior High School students and vocational/college level students will receive P4,000. Up to three students in each family can avail of the educational assistance.

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Application Process

Before proceeding to the payout sites, applicants must first register online. Below are the designated pages of DWSD FIELD OFFICES:

• Field Office I– facebook.com/dswdfo1
• Field Office II– facebook.com/DSWDDos
• Field Office III– facebook.com/dswdfo3
• Field Office IV-A– facebook.com/dswdfo4a
• Field Office IV-B– facebook.com/dswdfomimaropa
• Field Office V– facebook.com/dswdfo5
• Field Office VI– facebook.com/dswd06
• Field Office VII– facebook.com/dswdfo7
• Field Office VIII– facebook.com/dswdeasternvisayas
• Field Office IX– facebook.com/dswdfo9
• Field Office X– facebook.com/dswdfo10
• Field Office XI– facebook.com/dswdfo11
• Field Office XII– facebook.com/people/DSWD-XII/100069260497757/
• Field Office NCR– facebook.com/dswdfoncr
• Field Office CAR– facebook.com/dswdfocar
• Field Office CARAGA– facebook.com/dswdcaraga

To avail the assitance, applicants need to bring with them their Certificate of Registration/Enrollment and any valid ID (of student/ guardian who will receive the payout.)

Meanwhile, the DSWD also released a list of Payout Sites nationwide, you may check the list below.

For all registered and qualified applicants, you shall receive a text (SMS) confirmation from your respective DSWD Regional Offices containing the date, place and requirements you must bring with you.

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Reference: Inquirer.Net