Some 48,827 students in Davao Region received cash aid via an Educational Assistance Payout as of Dec.14, the regional Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-11) office said Wednesday.

In a press briefing, DSWD-11 Director Vanessa Goc-ong said the total amount disbursed for the payout in the region reached PHP105.3 million.

The aid is under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, which has been extended to cover students in crisis or emergencies.

“It is a regular (DSWD) program, what we did is we conducted the massive payout,” Goc-ong said.

Goc-ong assured that despite the massive payout being over, the educational assistance program for indigent students will continue.

“But as to the question if the massive pay-out will continue next year, we will await the directive from our central office if there will be a specific allocation to educational assistance,” she said.

For this year, Goc-ong said DSWD-11 has released an estimated PHP1.5 billion for all programs under AICS involving at least 257,054 clients.

“This includes our assistance for medical or hospital, education, burial, and others,” she added.

AICS provides medical, burial, transportation and subsistence assistance to persons/families in crises, specifically those belonging to the informal sector and other poor, marginalized, vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals. (PNA)