TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Borongan has increased the financial assistance granted to senior high school and college students under its flagship Direkta Ayuda program, while also expanding its coverage to include Alternative Learning System (ALS) students.
This development follows the approval of City Ordinance No. 33, authored by Councilor Atty. Kathlyn Jane Cainday, which amended key provisions of the original Direkta Ayuda ordinance—specifically Sections 3, 4, and 4b.
Under the amended Section 3, qualified beneficiaries will now receive P3,000 in cash assistance per semester, doubling the previous amount of P1,500.
Section 4 now broadens the program’s scope to include ALS students, in addition to Senior High School and college students who were previously the only eligible recipients.
Meanwhile, Section 4b sets clearer guidelines for eligibility: college students must be enrolled in at least nine units per semester, while senior high school students must be enrolled in accredited institutions. College students in their final semester with fewer than nine units will still be eligible, provided they present proof that they are completing their degree.
Direkta Ayuda is one of the key social service initiatives of the Borongan City government, spearheaded by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda, aimed at helping student-residents offset education-related expenses.
Originally launched with a monthly assistance of P250, the program was institutionalized through a city ordinance and has since increased to P500 per month, or P3,000 per semester.
In the most recent payout held in January 2025 by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, a total of 6,188 students received cash aid. With the inclusion of ALS students under the revised ordinance, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise in the coming semesters.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
