The Department of Social Welfare and Development launched a program at the beginning of the school year to provide low-income families with financial assistance to send their kids to school. These families will be provided financial aid through the AICS Educative Assistance Program, which will last six weeks.
The following sections contain information on the application process for students from the Cordillera Administrative Region (Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province). Beneficiaries of this program can earn anywhere from P1,000 to P4,000 during August and September. However, members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are not eligible for this financial assistance.
Nonetheless, several of the 4Ps have already received financial assistance to assist them. The DSWD previously requested members of the 4Ps who obtained cash aid to return it. Despite this, no one responded to the request.
And, as a result of how the administration handled the problem, this has recently become somewhat controversial. Despite this, the department continues to support students who need and deserve financial aid.
What is the AICS Educational Assistance Program?
AICS is a DWSD program created to help those who cannot acquire necessities like food, medicine, and transportation. The abbreviation AICS stands for “Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.” With this assistance, the individual can continue their education. You will learn more about who is eligible for the program, what rules apply, and how it works by reading the rest of this guide.
The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) – Educational Assistance Program, better known as the Education Assistance Program, is a government program that aims to assist underprivileged students. This assistance comes in the form of money for school fees, books, materials, projects, allowances, and other necessities. Because the program has such limited funding, it focuses on assisting “students in crisis.”
Qualifications
What does it mean to say that a student is “in crisis”? The DSWD says that a student in crisis is a:
- Working student;
- The breadwinner of the family;
- Child of a solo parent;
- A child whose parents are unemployed;
- Child of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW);
- Child of a parent with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV);
- Orphaned/abandoned child living with relatives;
- Victim of abuse; or
- Victim of calamity or natural disaster.
Benefits
How much money does the program provide to aid with school expenses? Qualified individuals may be eligible for the following financial assistance, depending on their educational background:
- Elementary — PHP 1,000.00
- High School — PHP 2,000.00
- Senior High School — PHP 3,000.00
- Vocational/College — PHP 4,000.00
Requirements of the DSWD Educational Assistance Program in CAR Region
Individuals who are eligible to apply for DSWD Educational Assistance must meet the following requirements:
- School ID of the student;
- Valid ID of parent or guardian;
- Certificate of Registration/Enrollment; and
- Statement of Account indicating the name of the school and the student’s miscellaneous fees.
NOTE: The aid will be given to the child’s parent or legal guardian for their education. To avoid complications during the process, ensure that the documents are authentic and accurate. Anyone who produces false documents will face legal consequences.
How to Claim DSWD Financial Assistance for Education in Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province
To avoid the overflow of applicants and to comply with COVID-19 health protocols, DSWD-CAR has ONLINE REGISTRATION, as observed through the following steps:
Step 1. Click the link to access the Google form: www.tinyurl.com/AICS-DSWD
Step 2. Fill in the required information and attach the required documents
Step 3. Make sure the information and documents are accurate before submitting the application
Step 4. Wait FOR CALL AND TEXT from the office for your payout schedule
REMINDER AND ADDITIONAL GUIDE
1. Only residents of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) qualify to be beneficiaries of this educational assistance;
2. No WALK-IN applicant will be accommodated in the DSWD CAR Crisis Intervention Section and only applicants who submit to the Google Link Form will receive a schedule;
- DSWD CAR will prioritize giving EA to students in Public schools;
- PARENT or ADULT GUARDIAN can claim this educational assistance based on the set schedule. Avoid bringing your child or small children on the day of the payout schedule;
- The program does not include the members of the 4Ps Program;
- Students with scholarship grants/incentives from the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED, Local Government Units, Sponsors of Any Individual, Non-government Organization (NGO), DOST Scholars, or any Scholarship are no longer eligible to receive Educational Assistance.
For more details and announcements regarding Educational Assistance, focus, and comment on DSWD CAR’s Official Facebook Page.
Wait for the confirmation text from DSWD-CAR containing the date and place where assistance will be taken. The DSWD-CAR will also inform you that after the online appointment, you will receive a text message from DSWD-CAR regarding the status OR schedule and the place where the DSWD social worker will be processed and assessed if you are qualified to receive educational assistance.
Only clients who have received the confirmation text will be assessed for Educational Assistance. All successful applicants will go through an interview assessment by Field Office social workers.
As for the schedule of the “Educational Assistance Payout,” this will be held every Saturday, on the following dates: August 20, August 27, September 3, September 10, September 17, and September 24, 2022 — at the DSWD Central Office and Field Offices.
Important: Currently, the Google Doc form to register for cash assistance is temporarily suspended due to the huge number of applicants. According to the latest FB post of DSWD CAR, applicants are advised to ‘stay tuned for the latest instructions/updates on how to claim cash aid.
Video: The DSWD Educational Assistance Programs
Watch this Facebook video of DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo talking about the AICS – Educational Assistance Program:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked inquiries regarding the DSWD’s AICS Educational Assistance Program in the meantime:
1. How much educational assistance can I get?
The scholarships available are as follows: (a) PHP 1,000 for Elementary school; (b) PHP 2,000 for high school; (c) PHP 3,000 for senior high school; and (d) PHP 4,000 for college/vocational.
2. How do I know if I am qualified for educational assistance?
As previously indicated, the program is strictly for “students in crisis.” If you are one of the following, you are considered a student in crisis: (a) working student; (b) family breadwinner; (c) child of a single parent; (d) child whose parents are unemployed; (e) child of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW); (f) child of a parent infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV); (g) orphaned/abandoned child living with relatives; (h) victim of abuse
3. How can I apply for educational assistance?
Send an email to ciu.co@dswd.gov.ph or go to the nearest regional or field office to ask for help with school. Before deciding whether to help you pay for school, a social worker will look at your request.
4. When is the payout of the educational assistance?
In 2022, the following Saturdays will see the distribution of the DSWD’s educational assistance: August 20, August 27, September 3, September 10, September 17, and September 24. The DSWD Central Office opens on the specified days at 7:00 a.m. to accept applications and start disbursing funds, while DWSD Field Offices across the nation open at 8:00 a.m.
5. Who can I call to ask about the program?
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this program or any other DSWD program, please call their Agency Operations Center (AOC) at the numbers listed below.
Telephone: (074) 661 0430
NOTE: The aforementioned lines can be reached from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
Summary
The DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Educational Program had granted cash to about 48,000 students as of August 20, 2022. Those who qualify for the program will be able to support their education using program funds totaling roughly PHP 140 million. Please contact your local DSWD office if you or your child are a student who is eligible for this program.
DISCLAIMER: The main goal of this guide is to provide people with general information. You can find out more about the Educational Assistance Program by going to your DSWD regional office’s official website and Facebook page.
Contact Information: DSWD-CAR
If you have any questions, please contact the DSWD CAR Field Office at the following address:
Address: 2600 North Dr, Baguio, Benguet
Telephone: (074) 661 0430
Website: www.car.dswd.gov.ph
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