One hundred forty-three (143) students from Apayao received a much-needed lift through the Apayao Student Assistance Program (ASAP) on March 22, with the Provincial Government of Apayao (PGA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) releasing a total of ₱1,072,500 in financial assistance.
Each student walked away with ₱7,500, enough to ease, if not erase, the weight of school expenses that often stand between them and their goals.
Held at the Capitol Conference Hall, said payout is part of the larger Apayao Socio-Economic Efforts Necessary Growth (ASENG) program—an umbrella effort aimed at removing barriers, especially for young yApayaos seeking a way forward through education.
In a message during the program, Provincial Disability Affair Officer (PDAO) Gretchen Garcia underscored the administration’s resolve in making education more than just an aspiration. “Programs like ASAP give our students more than just money. They give them a fair shot,” she said.
For the recipients, many of whom come from far-flung barangays, the cash assistance did not just settle tuition balances or buy school supplies, it came as proof that their province has not forgotten them.
ASENG, as a homegrown response to Apayao’s development challenges, continues to gain traction through its component programs like the ASAP. By Michelle Acantilado
