FACT CHECK: DSWD has no scholarship program with P6,500 cash allowance
Claim: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) posted a link to its scholarship program, which provides monthly cash allowances and free school supplies.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made by a Facebook page named “DSWD educational cash assistance,” which has 43,000 followers. The post has 114 comments, 80 reactions, and 113 shares as of writing.
The post claims that the DSWD is running a scholarship program providing monthly cash allowances worth P6,500, along with a free cellphone, laptop, school supplies, and uniform. Parents will also receive P7,000 per month.
Interested applicants are instructed to click a supposed registration link to sign up for the program.
The facts: The DSWD does not run a scholarship program, and the page that posted the claim is not affiliated with the social welfare department.
In a video posted on the official and verified DSWD Facebook page on October 28, DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel M. Lopez clarified: “Wala pong kahit anong scholarship program ang inyo pong DSWD. Ang meron lang po tayo ay educational assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.”
(The DSWD does not have any scholarship program. What we do provide is educational assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations [program]).
Educational assistance: The DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program is a social welfare service that provides individuals or families in need with various types of aid, such as medical assistance, burial support, transportation assistance, and educational support.
To request educational assistance, interested beneficiaries must provide the DSWD with a certificate of registration or enrollment, school ID, and statement of account. The amount of assistance that an individual can receive varies depending on social workers’ screening.
Fake pages: Rappler has fact-checked several posts from pages and websites posing as the DSWD, such as those claiming to offer monthly allowance for students, Noche Buena giveaways, P7,000 cash aid for people living in poverty, and allowance for registered voters.
On October 28, the social welfare department released a list of Facebook pages, websites, and YouTube accounts that are not affiliated with the DSWD:
- DSWD 4ps update 2023 all region
- DSWD 4PS NEWS UPDATE
- DSWD FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
- DSWD EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION FORM
- DSWD SUPPORT
- PHILIPPINES SCHOLAR 2022
- REX GATCHALIAN
- DSWD AYUDA AT PABAHAY NI BBM
- Department of Social Welfare Development – DSWD
- DSWD 10k Cash Assistance PM me now
- DSWD Contact Center
- DSWD School Assistance
- DSWD PAYOUT (4PS MCCT RCCT UCT TCT)
- DSWD Financial Assistance
- PILIPINAS 4PSS
- 4PS ALL REGION
- Tita Eda
- Mama Cherry Channel
- Melvs Castle
- RICROD-PH
- GOVERNMENT PH
- DSWD Program
Official accounts: For official updates on DSWD programs and services, refer to its official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube accounts. – Chinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza/Rappler.com
Chinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza is a Rappler Intern, under the Research Unit. She is a fourth year Communication Research student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sta. Mesa Manila.
This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.