EDUC ASSISTANCE. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the USWAG Ilonggo Party-list, releases PHP11.14 million in educational assistance to 1,114 college students in Antique on Thursday (Aug. 1, 2024). USWAG Ilonggo Party-list Rep. James Ang, in his message, urged students to use it wisely to finish their schooling. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the USWAG Ilonggo Party-list, released a total of PHP11.14 million in the form of educational assistance to 1,114 college students in Antique on Thursday.
USWAG Ilonggo Rep. James Ang, in his message, urged recipients to use the funds wisely to finish school. Each student received PHP10,000.
“Use your educational assistance for your school needs so that our party-list would also feel elated,” Ang said.
He said the recipients are second- to fourth-year college students because he would like to see them finish in three years when his term as party-list representative also ends.
DSWD 6 (Western Visayas) Social Welfare and Development Officer II Olive Rose Bohol, in charge of the distribution, said the educational assistance is part of the Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
“Students could use it to buy their school supplies and other needs,” she said.
Sibalom Mayor Gian Carlo Occeña described the assistance as timely for the school opening.
The municipality has 76 recipients, or one beneficiary from each barangay, he added.
One of the recipients, second-year college student Paul Martin Lacsama, considered himself fortunate because he was identified by their barangay captain to receive the assistance.
“I still had to travel from Barangay Semirara in the island municipality of Caluya so I could get assistance because this would be a big help for me,” Lacsama said.
He said his father is a seaweed farmer, while his mother is a housewife. Four of them in the family are in school, hence the financial difficulties.
Karen Guiang, now in her third year, said hopefully, through the educational assistance, she could buy school supplies and pay for her boarding house.
“I am thankful to USWAG Ilonggo for the assistance,” she said.
During the visit, Ang also inaugurated the newly completed PHP5 million multi-purpose building that will be used as the barangay hall of Poblacion District 2 in Sibalom. (PNA)
