By Jillian Marielle Tiraña

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide monetary assistance for indigent students every Saturday from August 20 until September 24.


Photo Courtesy of DSWD/Philippine News


In a Palace briefing on Thursday, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo announced the release of cash incentives for students in poverty.

“We saved around 500 million po na pondo para sa mga estudyante natin na indigent na kailangan po ng mga gamit. 500 po ‘yan all throughout the country,” Tulfo stated.

An amount of P1,000 for elementary students, P2,000 for high school students, P3,000 for senior high school students, and P4,000 for college students or those enrolled in vocational courses will be given in cash upon submission of requirements.

Students who are breadwinners, working students, victims of abuse and calamities, orphans, children of PWDs and solo parents, children of unemployed parents, and children whose parents acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are eligible to receive the cash aid with up to three students per family.

Claimants are required to bring a copy of the student’s enrollment certificate and school ID. It is optional for students to come with their guardians to submit requirements.

Although walk-in visits are accepted, Tulfo advised applicants to schedule an appointment through email before they visit the office.

The DSWD central office will open at 7 AM, while satellite, regional, and provincial offices will open their gates from 8 AM.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority on Monday, August 15, the country’s poverty incidence rose to 18.1% in 2021, equivalent to 19.99 million poor Filipinos. This is higher than the 16.7% poverty incidence, or 17.7 million poor Filipinos, recorded in the 2018 survey.


Edited by Christine Gaile Dimatatac