AFP to accept PHP1-M donation from PCSO, fund to be used for education of dependents of killed, wounded troops

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (Pictured) will formally accept a PHP1-million donation from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Monday. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines/ Facebook)

MANILA –The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will formally accept a PHP1-million donation from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Monday.

The money, which will be handed by PCSO head retired Major Gen. Alexander Balutan, will assure that education of dependents of military personnel killed or wounded in action, will be taken care of.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the donation will also boost the morale of troopers conducting missions against terrorists and other lawless elements as they know that whatever happens to them in line-of-duty, their children and dependents will be taken care off.

The PHP1-million check will be formally received by Gen. Eduardo Año for the AFP Educational Benefit System Office (EBSO).

“Every year, about 400 of our soldiers are maimed or killed due to combat operations and non-combat activities that imperil the education of over a hundred children who depend on their parents-soldiers for support,” Arevalo said.

“This donation will help support the education by way of stipends for 178 AFPEBSO scholars-dependents of soldiers who were separated from the service due to complete disability or have died in line-of-duty,” he added.

Working behind the scene, the AFPEBSO is continuously partnering with different government and non-government institutions to fulfill its mandate of managing the education of soldiers’ dependents.

Educational programs in AFPEBSO include law-mandated programs, and those by virtue of partnerships with educational, government, socio-civic and financial institutions.

Currently and for more than 16 years now, there are 4,005 AFP scholars nationwide – most of them are studying in Luzon and Mindanao.

More than 2,000 of these scholars are already in college and are either receiving monetary allowance or availing of free tuition fees in various colleges and universities.