DSWD assistance available to poor students

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has clarified that it does not offer scholarships but instead provides educational assistance to poor Filipino students.

“It is not within DSWD’s mandate to implement scholarship programs. But we provide minimal educational assistance as we recognize that indigent students need help in addressing other school-related expenses,” DSWD officer-in-charge Emmanuel Leyco said amid a flurry of public inquiries regarding the supposed scholarship program of the DSWD.

The  educational assistance is part of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), which forms part of the package of the Protective Services Program of the DSWD that provides intervention to individuals, families and communities in difficult and vulnerable situations.

“Under the AICS, indigent students may avail of the educational assistance by presenting their assessment form/certificate of enrolment/registration for the current school semester, validated school ID, and a barangay certificate of indigency,” DSWD said. 

For elementary and high school students the educational assistance may be secured  only once – every enrolment period. Indigent college students, however, may seek assistance every semester.

To improve the processing of the requests, the DSWD central office said it has piloted its on-site processing of educational assistance to seven government-funded tertiary institutions in Metro Manila.

These were in the Quezon City Polytechnic University, University of Caloocan City, Colegio de Montalban, San Mateo Municipal College, University of Rizal System Rodriguez Campus, Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Quezon City campus and Valenzuela City Polytechnic College.

These schools were chosen as they had many student beneficiaries in recent years, according to the agency.

For the second semester 2017-2018, some 5,000 indigent students in Metro Manila are expected to receive P3,000 each.

“Of the total number of slots for educational assistance, 4,000 are alloted to the seven schools while the remaining 1,000 are students from other schools who may also need assistance,” DSWD said.