The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed P22,786,000 in educational assistance payouts to 7,852 indigent students in Western Visayas on Saturday, August 27.
There were 1,687 beneficiaries in Negros Occidental who received P5,306,000, May Rago-Castillo, DSWD 6 information officer, said Sunday, August 28.
She said 276 beneficiaries were elementary students, 194 – high school, 226 – senior high school and 991 – college from Negros Occidental.
The payout on Saturday was “generally peaceful, organized and smooth. It was way better and improved. The additional assessment and payout sites really helped to ensure that no untoward incident would happen,” Rago-Castillo said, after a previous near stampede during the distribution in Negros Occidental.
Merle Garcia, Negros Occidental provincial social welfare officer, said the new payout distribution strategy was very peaceful.
More payouts will be conducted every Saturday until September 24, Garcia said.
The other beneficiaries of the payouts in Western Visayas were in Aklan – 958 who received P2.7M, Antique -1,063 – P3 million, Capiz – 696 – P2 million, Guimaras 867- P2 million, and Iloilo – 2,581 – P7.6 million, Rago-Castillo said.*