HERMOSA, Bataan — A big number of applicants on Saturday crowded the lone
field office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development here to avail of
the first payout of the educational assistance for student-in-crisis.
Some of the applicants were already at the field office in Barangay Palihan as
early as 3 in the morning.
A social welfare officer in the field office said they wanted to serve as many
people as possible this Saturday but they can only attend to a limited number up
to 7 p.m.
DSWD Region 3 OIC-director Venus Rebuldea in a telephone call said more or less
400 applicants from Bataan will be served this Saturday and the rest scheduled for
clustered payouts on succeeding Saturdays.
She said that they have received the documents of those not included in the 400
to be attended to this Saturday for scheduling the next Saturday.
Rebuldea said that she has created an incident command center so that
succeeding payouts will be orderly. She added that she has also conferred with
the police for safety and house control.
Instead of the payout for all Bataan applicants earlier scheduled in the field office
in Hermosa alone and to avoid overcrowding, the venues of payouts were
changed through a list being distributed.
A social welfare officer said they wanted to serve people right near their
residences so they have scheduled payouts on Aug. 27 for residents of Hermosa,
Orani, and Samal in the Orani gymnasium; Sept. 3 for Abucay, Balanga City, and
Pilar in Dona Francisca, Balanga City; Sept. 10 for Orion and Limay in Limay Sports
Complex; Sept. 17 for Bagac and Morong in Pag-asa covered court in Bagac; Sept.
24 for Dinalupihan in Bulwagan in Dinalupihan; and Sept. 24 for Mariveles right in
the town.
Jesus Montes of Pentor, Dinalupihan town said he was in the site at 3 a.m. so he
can be ahead of the others in the line: “Maganda na ang mauna hindi katulad
ngayon na nagkakagulo na mga tao ngayong umaga. Malaking tulong itong
financial assistance sa anak ko.”
Annie Mae De Guzman of Ipag, Mariveles said she fell in line at 4 a.m. with the
requirements needed for the financial assistance to her three children who are in
college, senior high, and elementary.
“Hindi ko alam na may schedule pala kaya maaga akong umalis sa Mariveles,” De
Guzman said. Mariveles is more than 60 kilometers from the field office.
“Pumila ako ng maaga, alas-3 ng umaga pa lamang, kahit taga-Hermosa ako dahil
wala akong pambili ng gamit ng tatlo kong anak,” Evelyn Rizardo of Barangay Culis
said.
They said that they hope they will still be included for this Saturday’s payout.
