The Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) assists students who require financial assistance with their education on an annual basis. The AICS Educational Assistance program is one such initiative conducted by the DSWD.
Filipino students who want to take advantage of this one-time cash assistance per school year and live in the Region 2 area (Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino) may check the requirements below to see if they qualify for the cash benefit.
But because of how the government chooses who gets these grants, this has recently become rather contentious. Despite the controversy surrounding the matter, the department still offers aid to deserving students who require financial support.
For information on how to apply for financial aid, student applicants based in Region 2 can refer to the DSWD Field Office 2’s instructions.
What is the DSWD AICS Educational Assistance Program?
The “Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations” (AICS) is a DWSD program that gives people needing help access to food, medicine, transportation, and other essentials. In this case, the assistance is for educational purposes. Learn more about who the program helps, its guidelines, and procedures here.
As the name implies, the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) – Educational Assistance Program aids students financially. You can use this cash to cover expenses like tuition, books, supplies, projects, allowances, and other bills.
Due to a lack of funding for this program, the DSWD is focusing its efforts on helping “students in need.”
DSWD Field Office 2 Qualifications
What exactly does a “student in crisis” mean? According to the DSWD, a student in distress is one who:
- 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 financial aid does the program offer for education? The following financial aid may be available to qualified recipients, 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
You must fulfill the following criteria to be eligible for DSWD Educational Assistance:
- 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 parent or legal guardian of the student will be given educational support. Verify the authenticity of the documents to make sure they are not fakes. There will be legal repercussions for anyone who submits false documents.
How to Claim DSWD Financial Assistance for Education in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino
An application for the DSWD’s Educational Assistance Program can be submitted online via Google forms for your respective provinces. They are as follows:
- CAGAYAN: bit.ly/EA4Cagayan
- ISABELA: bit.ly/EA4Isabela
- QUIRINO: bit.ly/EA4Quirino
- NUEVA VIZCAYA: bit.ly/EA4Vizcaya
- BATANES: bit.ly/EA4Batanes
At the DSWD Field office, your application will undergo an initial assessment by a Social Worker — for verification and approval — before payout of the educational aid.
All applicants who sign up online will be assessed by DSWD social workers, according to the applicants’ online registration form,
Students-in-crisis students will receive a text (SMS)/call from DSWD Field Office 02 on when and where the pay-out will be carried out.
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.
Note: Those who receive text messages are advised to bring their water and food.
Video: The DSWD Educational Assistance Programs
Watch this video on the DSWD’s Facebook page where DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo describes the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (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 financial aid amounts differ depending on the level of education as shown below: (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 vocational/college.
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?
You can submit an application for DSWD Educational Assistance in person at the regional or field office closest to you, or through email at ciu.co@dswd.gov.ph. Before your request for financial aid for education is approved, a social worker will review it.
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?
Please call their Agency Operations Center (AOC) at the numbers provided below if you have any inquiries, worries, or complaints about the program or any other DSWD program.
Contact Number: 0783041004
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 AICS Educational Assistance Program had helped more than 48,000 students as of August 20th, 2022. These students can use more than PHP 141 million in aid toward their educational costs. Please get in touch with your neighborhood DSWD office if you or your kids think they qualify for this program.
DISCLAIMER: The main objective of this manual is to disseminate general knowledge. Visit their official website and Facebook page for more details about the Educational Assistance Program.
Contact Information: DSWD Region 2
If you have any questions, please contact the DSWD Field Office 2 at the following address:
Address: 2 Pan-Philippine Hwy, Carig Regional Center, Tuguegarao, 3500 Cagayan
Telephone: 0783041004
Website: https://fo2.dswd.gov.ph/
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