CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar — Forty students whose parents are former rebels or CAFGU Active Auxiliaries (CAAs) each walked away with ₱6,000 in school assistance on October 12 and 13, 2026, following a two-day payout held at Tandaya Hall in Catbalogan City.
The Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division said in a press release dated October 21, 2026, that the total amount disbursed reached ₱240,000. The funds came through the government's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, which is administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The DSWD office in Samar and the Sirak Kabataan organization jointly facilitated the distribution, with the 8th Infantry Division providing coordination support.
Two-Day Payout at Tandaya Hall
According to the 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, which is headquartered at Camp General Vicente Lukban in Catbalogan City, eligible student beneficiaries received their cash aid across consecutive days at the Tandaya Hall venue. The DSWD's AICS program covers cash and other forms of assistance for individuals and families in crisis, including education-related support. The 8th Infantry Division said the grants were meant to help defray school expenses and allow recipients to continue their studies.
Samar College Student Cites Family's Financial Struggles
One of the 40 recipients, Efren Cagomoc, 25, a student at Samar College, spoke about the difficulty his family faces in putting ten children through school at once. As quoted in the Army release, Cagomoc said in Filipino: "I am very grateful to be among the students who received this benefit. It is a big help to us, especially because our family is large — there are ten of us siblings. What my parents earn is not enough to send all of us to school at the same time. So this is a big help for our allowance, boarding house rent and food here."
Cagomoc also directed a message at fellow students, urging them to focus on their education and not be swayed by leftist organizations. "To other students, let us study and try not to be deceived by leftist groups, because poverty is not a barrier. The government gives many benefits for us. We just need to study well," he said, as quoted in the same Army release.
Division Encourages Beneficiaries to Spend Aid Wisely
The 8th Infantry Division congratulated the student recipients and called on them to use the financial assistance responsibly, saying in its press release that education is an investment that builds stronger families and develops responsible citizens. The release was issued through the division's Public Affairs Office, headed by Lt. Col. Joseph S. Sabas.
Army Reiterates Call for Armed Rebels to Surrender
In the same October 21 statement, the 8th Infantry Division repeated its standing appeal for members of what it refers to as communist terrorist groups (CTG) who remain in armed activity to lay down their weapons, return to their families, and avail themselves of government reintegration programs. The division did not specify how many CTG members remain active in the area, nor did it identify which reintegration programs are currently available.
Source: Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office / breakingnewsnegros.com