Some 1,942 college students in this province have received education aid worth a total of PHP7,768,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during a two-day distribution that ended on Friday.

Amelyn Cabrera, assistant regional director for operations of the DSWD in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), in a follow-up phone interview on Saturday, said there were 1,369 students in the capital town of Bangued, where most of the colleges are located, who received the financial assistance, and more than 573 were provided aid in the town of Lagangilang.

The official said each college student-beneficiary received PHP4,000.

She added that the fund was through the initiative of Lone District Representative Menchie “Ching” Bernos and is being implemented by the DSWD-CAR.

Cabrera said the two-day distribution of assistance to individuals in crisis situation-education support (AICS-Educ) that started on Nov. 10 was only for Abra.

“Si Congresswoman Bernos ang naghanap ng pondo na idinaan sa DSWD ang distribution kasi maraming nag apply noon na hindi inabot ng pondo na nai-allot ng DSWD (Congresswoman Bernos looked for funds because there were still many who applied for assistance and were not accommodated due to lack of funds),” Cabrera said.

The four colleges in Abra include the Divine World College, Abra Valley, Data Center, and the newly renamed Abra State University. (PNA)