COTABATO CITY— A total of 943 indigent students from the six clusters of the region’s Special Geographic Area (SGA) received financial allowances through the Ministry of Social Services and Development’s (MSSD) Angat Bangsamoro: Kabataan Tungo sa Karunungan (ABaKa) Program.
349 of the beneficiaries were from Pikit Cluster, 187 from Midsayap, 181 from Pigcawayan, 113 fom Carmen, 87 from Kabacan, and 26 from Aleaosan. The cash distribution was held on June 27-July 5.
The ABaka Progam provides a one-time financial assistance to poor students to cover school-related expenses such as school supplies, books, projects, internet/data load, and other related expenses. Php10,000.00 each for college students and Php1,000.00 and Php1,500.00 for junior and senior high school students, respectively.
A remaining 277 students from SGA are also set to receive the same assistance.
“Sana ‘yung binibigay na tulong ng (BARMM) government sa kanila ay gamitin ng maayos, huwag nila gamitin kung saan-saan kasi para sa pag-aaral nila ito,” said SGA Coordinator Haron Amer.
Meanwhile, Norodin Masukat, 26, a beneficiary from Midsayap, said the program helped him a lot, especially on making his research paper.
“Ang laking tulong nitong ABaKa program. Isa na rin po yan sa mga dahilan kung bakit nairaos ko yung pag-aaral ko sa unibersidad,” said Masukat, an agriculture student from the University of Southern Mindanao
Application is currently ongoing for the 1,220 beneficiaries the MSSD has targeted for ABaka Progam 2022 in SGA. Interested applicants must provide the following requirements and submit it to MSSD’s Sub Office in Midsayap:
- any valid Identification Card of the beneficiary/person to be interviewed,
- enrollment or assessment form from the school or certificate of registration or enrolment form,
- validated school ID of student,
- statement of account (for college level or vocational technology students), and
- Barangay Certificate of Residency & Certificate of Indigency or Certificate stating that beneficiary needs assistance. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
