TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, August 18 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started its payout for Boholanos who are eligible for the Students Educational Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) at the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Bohol Office in Poblacion II on August 20.

According to the DSWD Region 7, those who received the aid were those who were listed on the previous day and scheduled for August 20.

DSWD, in an advisory, clarified that this is a financial aid for the education of certain eligible individuals and not a scholarship.

The Students’ Educational AICS can be used for the student’s school needs such as school fees, school supplies, project allowances, and other fees, according to the DSWD.

Application to the said financial assistance can be done through walk-in by visiting the local DSWD field office and filing the application or via email by sending the request to swad-bohol.fo7@dswd.gov.ph.

For applications done via email, the DSWD will send a confirmation email that will contain the date and place to claim the assistance as well as the requirements that should be submitted to qualify for the validation.

Applications must be affixed with the student’s proof of enrollment, authorization letter (if the applicant is not available), valid ID of parent, guardian as well as students who are in college or taking vocational courses.

DSWD Sec. Erwin Tulfo earlier announced that that individuals who are qualified to avail of the DSWD educational assistance program are breadwinners, working students, those who have no family and are living with relatives, children of solo parents, those whose parents are jobless, children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), children of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), children of HIV victims, victims of domestic abuse, and victims of natural disasters.

Only three children from each household are entitled to apply and enroll in the DSWD Educational Assistance Program.

Prior to the payout, the DSWD is set to verify and validate the application.

The DSWD Educational Assistance Program is open to elementary or grade school students, high school students, and vocational/college level students.

Under the said program, elementary students will receive P1,000; high school students, P2,000; senior high school students, P3,000; while vocational and college level students whose application for the assistance are approved will get P4,000.

“Under the Students Educational AICS, payout would be done from August 20 and the succeeding Saturdays: August 27 and Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24,” Tulfo said in a Facebook post. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)