The second batch of undergraduate students received their stipend from the Department of Social Welfare and Development under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program on February 5 at the TSU Gymnasium.
Through the efforts of Sen. Imee R. Marcos, 1,000 "students-in-crisis" each received 5,000 pesos of cash assistance from DSWD.
"This onsite payout means a lot, as it will somehow ease your financial burden and boost your academic excellence at TSU. Grab this opportunity dahil marami ang gustong makasama sa programang ito,” Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Agnes M. Macaraeg said in her opening remarks.
Kim Georgia S. Mendoza, one of the AICS recipients, shared in an interview that she is thankful for this opportunity.
“Super blessed po ako at laking pasasalamat ko po sa TSU at sa AICS program dahil isa po ako sa mga napiling mabigyan ng financial assistance,” she said.
Mendoza, daughter of a jeepney driver and a small business owner, mentioned that she would save the money to buy a laptop to help her as a second-year College of Computer Studies student.
“Mula first year po ako wala akong ginagamit na laptop – puro hiram lang po kaya medyo mahirap,” said Mendoza.
She shared that she survived her first year through free use of the university's computer laboratories.
At present, Mendoza is helping her mother sell goods as the latter was diagnosed with cancer last year and had undergone an operation.
The one-time disbursement of cash assistance is part of the 10 million pesos allotted to AICS recipients of the university.
Last December 11, 2023, Sen. Marcos visited TSU for the first batch of AICS payout. (jlmm-OPA)
