The Department of Social Welfare and Development said Wednesday it would rework the distribution of its cash aid for indigent students to make the process more orderly.
Social Welfare Sec. Erwin Tulfo released the new rules after thick crowds marred the first day of distribution last Aug. 20.
The DSWD partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to provide manpower support and additional venues for cash payouts. Previously, payouts were done only in the DSWD's central office in Quezon City as well as its field offices in the provinces.
READ: LGUs Told to Help in Distribution of DSWD Cash Aid for Students
"Dahil sa distributed ito sa mga cities and mga municipalities, marami nang payout centers, we expect na made-declog na yung mga lugar, hindi na magsisiksikan," Tulfo said.
Personnel from the DSWD offices in cities and municipalities will also help in checking the requirements for the educational assistance, as well as provide security during the payout dates.
Here are the other changes that will be made:
Electronic registration first, no walk-ins
Unlike on the first day of cash distribution, eligible beneficiaries will be required to register first through the DSWD's website, QR code, or designated phone number before visiting the payout center.
This means that there will be no walk-ins at the payout centers in the succeeding dates of cash aid distribution, Tulfo said.
"Iniiwasan natin yung walk-in muna kasi kailangan natin ayusin, kailangan natin i-fine tune ito. Kasi inaasahan natin kapag nagka-walk-in ulit, dadagsa ang tao," he added.
Tulfo didn't specify the website through which beneficiaries can register, but the DSWD's Facebook page said requests can be sent through [email protected]
"Kapag nag-register, magco-confirm kami kung saan kayo pupuntang payout center para mas mabilis, mas madali at hindi magulo," he said.
Faster processing
To ensure that more beneficiaries will receive aid, Tulfo said they will try to expedite the processing of the requirements at the payout facility.
After the initial checking of the requirements, personnel from the DSWD will interview the beneficiaries to ask questions about their family's income sources, among others. The beneficiaries will then immediately proceed to the payout center to receive the cash aid.
"Ang target namin kung kakayanin, within 10 minutes pagpasok niya ay makalabas na siya kasi less na yung documentation at tsaka yung mga questions para mabilis yung beneficiary," Tulfo said.
Alphabetical listing eyed
Tulfo said they are also considering grouping the beneficiaries by the first letter of their surnames to prevent large crowds at the payment centers.
"Online registration pero alphabetical siguro muna, yung A to E and then susunod letter F to K. Ganun ang gagawin natin para mas maayos ang pamimigay ng ayuda," he added.
Eligible beneficiaries streamlined
Tulfo clarified that existing beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps and recipients of the scholarship programs from the local government are no longer qualified to receive the DSWD educational assistance.
"Yung 4Ps, hindi na kasama dito kasi 4Ps itself is educational assistance na yun," he said.
"Ang purpose lamang nitong educational assistance ay para sa mga bata na kailangan ng school supplies or pambayad ng school fees," he added.
The distribution of the DSWD educational assistance to indigent students will continue every Saturday until Sept. 24. Eligible beneficiaries are reminded to bring a certificate of enrollment and a valid school ID to avail of the cash aid.
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