DESPITE major challenges, the distribution of education assistance to indigent students has been a success, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The department said more than 713,000 students received cash assistance.

“Ang atin pong naipamahagi na ay P1.7 billion na po. ‘Yung atin pong naabot ng ating programang ito ng ating educational assistance ay umabot na po sa 713,916 students o beneficiaries,” DSWD Spokesperson Rommel Lopez said.

Lopez said that extending the program is unlikely since the DSWD used up the P1.5 billion allotted for the program.

The government allocated P1.5 billion for 550,000 student beneficiaries. However, the department exceeded these numbers, giving out P1.7 billion for 713,916 beneficiaries.

More than two million applied for the student cash assistance.

DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo earlier said they would need an additional P200 million to P300 million to reopen the educational assistance program for indigent students.

Under the program, up to three students per indigent family can receive cash aid worth P1,000 for elementary students, P2,000 for high school, P3,000 for senior high school, and P4,000 for a tertiary student enrolled in a college or technical-vocational school.