THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development said that it has distributed more than P649 million in cash aid to 257,285 students.

Of the total beneficiaries, 85,000 were college and vocational students; 79,000 were elementary students; 56,000 were high school students and 36,000 were senior high school students, DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said.

“Natutuwa po ang DSWD na ibalita na nasa 257,285 na po na mag-aaral o beneficiaries ang naabot po ng ating programa. Kabuuan pong halaga na naipamahagi sa kanila ay nasa P649 million,” Lopez said in a briefing.

The department still has P900 million to distribute.

Up to 400,000 poor students are expected to benefit from the educational cash support program which was allotted a budget of P1.5 billion.

The DSWD received around 2 million applications for the educational assistance program.

The financial assistance will be available in the DSWD central, regional, provincial and other local offices until September 24, 2022.

Those who want to receive the cash assistance were advised to register online or email [email protected].