18/05/2026
LOOK| CITY GOV'T ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR EDUC'L AID PROGRAM| The Zamboanga City Government has issued comprehensive implementing guidelines for Ordinance No. 908 or Educational Assistance Program, to ensure the proper, transparent, and orderly distribution of educational assistance to qualified students.
Under the guidelines, K-12 learners will receive P1,000 annually, composed of P500 for school supplies and P500 for uniform allowance, while students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will receive P750 per semester for transportation assistance. Summer classes are strictly excluded from the coverage.
The program covers bona fide Zamboangueño learners enrolled in K-12 and SUC students who are born and raised in the city, while excluding post-graduate students, second-degree takers, scholarship grantees, and those enrolled in additional tertiary courses after completing a first degree.
APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL WHERE THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED and the school will submit all applications and requirements to the CSWDO.
To ensure eligibility, applicants must submit a PSA-authenticated birth certificate or a birth certificate issued by the City Civil Registrar. Schools are also required to submit a certified and notarized masterlist of qualified beneficiaries through principals, registrars, or authorized school heads to the City Mayor through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
For personal claims, beneficiaries are required to present an original valid identification card and submit one photocopy bearing three specimen signatures. College students must present a validated and updated school ID, while parents or guardians may use any Philippine-issued identification card.
In cases where the beneficiary cannot personally claim the assistance, an authorized representative may process the payout by presenting a handwritten authorization letter signed by the beneficiary or by the parent or guardian for K-12 learners. Representatives must also submit photocopies and originals of both the beneficiary’s school ID or valid ID and the representative’s valid Philippine-issued identification card.
For beneficiaries who passed away prior to the release of assistance, immediate family members may claim the payout by presenting the deceased beneficiary’s original ID or school ID, the claimant’s valid ID, a death certificate with registration number, and a signed Warranty and Release of Liability. For Muslim beneficiaries, a certification of death issued by the health center and signed by a midwife, together with certification from an Imam, shall also be accepted.
The implementation and payout process is jointly coordinated by the CSWDO, the City Budget Office, City Accountant’s Office, City Treasurer’s Office, and partner agencies to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable fund distribution.
To safeguard program integrity, Section 9 of Ordinance No. 908 imposes penalties for fraudulent inclusion of beneficiaries, including imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to P5,000. Complaints involving exclusion or clerical errors will be verified and reconciled against official school records through the CSWDO.
The ordinance was authored by members of the City Council including Councilors Atty. Mel Sadain, Dan Vicente, Joselito Macrohon, Joel Esteban, and other members of Team Zamboanga as co-authors.
