TWENTY-nine people were injured in a stampede Saturday, August 20, 2022 at the entrance of a local public school when huge number of people gathered to avail of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) educational assistance.
The stampede happened around 8 a.m. Saturday as people rushed in when security personnel opened the gate of the Zamboanga City High School (ZCHS) main campus in Tetuan village.
The Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC), through its Public Affairs and Customer Care Unit, said Saturday, that 29 individuals were injured in the stampede and brought to ZCMC for immediate care.
It said the victims were between 16 to 58 years of age, with two males and 27 females who had been waiting in line for a chance to receive educational assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“The necessary medical treatment, including X-rays, wound care, and oxygen administration, was given to the affected individuals,” ZCMC said in a statement.
“There were no reported victims in critical condition, and everyone was treated as an outpatient. ZCMA Medical Social Services will handle the processing of all medical costs,” ZCMC added.
Large number of people gathered outside the ZCHS-main starting Friday evening after the DSWD announced that it will distribute educational assistance on a first come, first serve basis to 500 qualified students in this city.
The distribution of the educational assistance was set to be held Saturday at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum, which is situated inside the campus of ZCHS in Tetuan.
Ivan Eric Salvador, DSWD regional information officer, said they have scheduled six Saturdays staring August 20 to distribute the educational assistance to qualified students.
“Our target for Zamboanga City is 500 recipients each Saturday from August 20 until September 24,” Salvador said.
Upon learning of the incident, Mayor John Dalipe has ordered for the intervention of the different agencies to help ensure orderliness at the coliseum.
Because of the incident, Salvador said they have held in abeyance the distribution of educational cash assistance in this city.
“We pre-register the names of those wanting to avail of the educational assistance for assessment. Those who will qualify will be notified when to claim the financial assistance,” Salvador added.
However, the scheme was only adopted in this city since the distribution of educational assistance in other parts of the region pushed through.
He said that their target is to release educational cash assistance to 1,251 qualified students each Saturday or for a total of 7,506 in six Saturdays.
Salvador said the amount of educational cash assistance for each student-beneficiaries varies from P1,000 for elementary level; P2,000, high school; P3,000, senior high school; P4,000, college and vocational students.
The DSWD has allocated some P30 million for its educational assistance program in the region.
The educational assistance is given annually to indigent students as well as those studying in vocational or technical schools, state colleges, and universities.
Students belonging to families who are experiencing a crisis due to the displacement of their parents from employment or the death of a family member, and those whose parents are overseas Filipino workers (OFW) but have been repatriated or deported, are also eligible for the assistance. (SunStar Zamboanga)