DSWD’s Tulfo vows better education assistance payout system starting next Saturday

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo on Monday vowed to organize a better distribution system for their cash assistance program for indigent students after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) received backlash for what happened on the first day of the payout.

In an Unang Balita interview, Tulfo reiterated that what happened last Saturday, August 20, wherein huge crowds of students and parents were seen outside DSWD offices, was a “tactical mistake” for the agency’s part.

Due to this, he said the DSWD will be implementing a “big adjustment” starting next Saturday, August 27, to give better service to their beneficiaries. The educational assistance is set to be given every Saturday until September 24.

“Next week, ipangako namin, mas maayos na ho itong sistema [we promise that the system will be better next week],” Tulfo said.

The DSWD has already tapped the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the distribution of education assistance through local government units (LGUs), after a number of beneficiary students and parents failed to get the money on Saturday.

Tulfo said that they will also consider placing a cutoff or adapting an alphabetical system of cash distribution to students.

“We will be consulting…kung pupuwede alphabetical na lang muna. A to H muna this coming Saturday then I to M next Saturday para mabigyan po lahat. Para medyo mas maayos,” he said in a CNN Philippines interview. 

(We will be consulting if it’s possible to do it alphabetically first. Let’s do A to H first this coming Saturday then I to M next Saturday so that everyone can be given and the distribution will be a little better.)

Tulfo, however, said he believes the DSWD does not have to allot other days for the disbursement of the educational assistance, aside from the six Saturdays. He said people will be better served once the cash aid is made available in every city or municipality.

Additional budget

Further, Tulfo also answered in the affirmative when asked if the DSWD is willing to add more to the initial P500 million budget for the educational assistance program, which may reach an estimated total of P1 billion.

“Yes, another P500 [million] probably, about P1 billion. Nakita po namin ‘yung tao,” he said.

“Because of pandemic, the message is loud and clear. Marami tayong kababayan na naghihikahos at kailangan ng tulong [we have many countrymen who are poor and need help]. I’m sure and I’m very, very positive that the government is listening and we’ll help out,” he added. 

Tulfo noted that the DSWD was able to give out P154 million in educational assistance to some 53,000 beneficiaries all over the country last Saturday.

He earlier said that the agency would provide 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 vocational courses. —KG, GMA News