Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (Safe) Act
Filed on July 8, 2025, and referred to the Committees on Basic Education, Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, and Finance; it has been pending in committee since then with no recorded action.
The bill addresses the urgent need for accessible financial support for students during emergencies, which can disrupt their education.
The bill responds to the increasing frequency of emergencies affecting students, such as natural disasters and health crises.
Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (Safe) Act
The Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) Act aims to provide immediate financial support to students affected by emergencies, ensuring their ability to continue their education. It establishes a fund administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to offer various types of assistance, including transportation and medical expenses, with simplified application procedures.
Compared with current law:
No immediate assistance fund exists for emergencies.
Creates the SAFE to provide up to ₱5,000 per student for emergencies.
Application processes for assistance are often lengthy and complex.
Simplifies application procedures for immediate assistance.
Emergency support is often delayed due to bureaucratic hurdles.
Ensures prompt financial support during emergencies.
The SAFE Act aims to provide immediate financial support to students affected by emergencies, ensuring they can continue their education. It establishes a fund administered by the DSWD for this purpose.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over two months with no action since its referral on August 4, 2025.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 JUL -8 P5:21 First Regular Session Senate Bill No. SENATE248 Introduced by Senator Erwin Tulfo AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE FUND FOR EMERGENCIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE In the Philippines, pursuing an education is not only a right but, more importantly, a dream that many students pursue with grit and resilience. For countless young Filipinos, especially those from low- income families, this dream comes at a cost. Each day is a quiet act of sacrifice as they stretch every peso to make it to the next school day. This already difficult situation is further compounded in times of emergencies. Natural disasters, displacement, medical crises, and other unforeseen events can instantly derail their education entirely. While the government offers various scholarships and assistance programs, these are often inaccessible in urgent situations due to red tape and documentary requirements. In moments of emergency, students and their families need immediate assistance. This bill seeks to establish the Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) to address this critical gap. Under SAFE, students affected by emergencies may receive prompt financial support for transportation, food, lodging, school contributions, medical expenses, and other essential costs that stand in the way of their education.
Procedures for application are simplified, recognizing the urgency of such circumstances and providing temporary relief with minimal red tape. To enforce accountability and ensure the system is not abused, guidelines for post-submission of documents and verification are provided, along with mechanisms to disincentivize abuse. By institutionalizing SAFE, we affirm the State's duty to make education genuinely accessible even when life becomes hardest. It is a commitment that in times of a student's most difficult situations, the government will not turn its back on them. It is a safety net for the present, and an investment in the nation's future. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. ERWIN TULFO
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 25 JUL -8 P5:21 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session RIC SENATE Senate Bill No. 248 Introduced by Senator Erwin Tulfo AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE FUND FOR EMERGENCIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the
"Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) Act."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy
of the state to uphold the right to accessible education and to provide immediate relief to students in times of emergencies and unforeseer hardship. Toward this end, the State shall establish a mechanism for rapid response and assistance to students facing emergencies that may hinder their ability to continue their education.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
a) Accommodation allowance refers to financial assistance provided to cover temporary lodging expenses incurred by a student due to emergencies that prevent them from returning home or necessitate temporary relocation;
b) Digital Disbursement Platforms refer to government-accredited electronic or online systems used to transmit financial assistance directly to beneficiaries through digital wallets, bank accounts, or other secure digital means; c) Displacement refers to the forced or involuntary movement of a student from their residence or regular place of lodging due to natural disasters, calamities, armed conflict, eviction, or other similar emergencies; d) Emergency refers to any unforeseen or unavoidable event or circumstance that imposes an immediate financial burden on students and threatens their ability to continue or complete their education; e) Immediate Assistance refers to the prompt release of financial support under this Act subject to post-compliance requirements; f) Medical Expenses refer to those costs incurred by a student for medical treatment or hospitalization arising from accidents, injuries, or illness occurring during school-sanctioned activities or within the school premises; g) Mobile Payout Centers refer to roving physical facilities designated by the DSWD or authorized partners to deliver financial assistance in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, or disaster-affected areas; h) Student refers to any Filipino citizen enrolled in a duly recognized basic education or higher education institution in the Philippines; i) School-Related Fees or Urgent Contributions refer to mandatory academic or administrative charges required for a student's continued enrollment, participation in essential school- sanctioned activities, or fulfillment of academic requirements, the payment of which is time-sensitive or cannot be reasonably delayed; j) Subsistence Allowance refers to financial assistance intended to cover a student's basic daily needs, including food and non- alcoholic beverages, during periods of emergency; and k) Transportation Allowance refers to financial assistance to cover the cost of travel between a student's place of residence and their educational institution, or to and from a temporary shelter or evacuation center, as necessitated by an emergency.
SEC. 4. Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies. - There is
hereby established a fund to be known as the Student Assistance Fund 3 for Emergencies (SAFE), to be administered by the Department of 4 Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to provide immediate assistance to students in distress due to emergencies.
SEC. 5. Types of Assistance. - The SAFE shall provide immediate
assistance in the form of: a) Transportation allowance; b) Subsistence and/or accommodation allowance; c) School-related fees or urgent contributions; d) Emergency medical expenses; and e) Other similar expenses directly related to ensuring the student's ability to continue their education during or immediately after an emergency.
SEC. 6. Covered Emergencies. - For purposes of this Act,
covered emergencies include, but are not limited to: a) Natural or man-made calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, pandemics, and armed conflicts; b) Destruction of residence resulting in permanent or temporary displacement; c) Suspensions or disruptions of classes requiring unexpected transportation, accommodation, or subsistence costs; d) Medical emergencies, particularly those occurring during school- sanctioned events or within school premises; e) Inability to pay urgent school contributions; or t) Other analogous situations, where delay would cause undue hardship to the student or result in educational disruption.
SEC. 7. Modes of Delivery. - The DSWD shall adopt efficient
and flexible modes of delivering assistance to the students needing immediate assistance from the government, including but not limited to cash disbursements, digital disbursement platforms, mobile payout
centers, or direct coordination with the concerned schools and LGUs, to ensure rapid and equitable access to SAFE support.
SEC. 8. Expediency and Simplified Requirements. - The SAFE
shall be designed for immediate response. Applicants may receive immediate assistance upon submission of minimal or preliminary documentation, subject to full documentary compliance within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of assistance. The required documents shall include: a) Proof of enrollment; b) Name, Address, and Contact Details of the Student or their parent/guardian; and c) Certification or any proof of emergency issued by the school, hospital, local government unit (LGU) or other competent authority.
SEC. 9. Failure to Submit. - Failure to submit the required
19 documents within the prescribed period or submission of falsified information shall result in: a) Disqualification from receiving future assistance under SAFE or other similar government programs; b) Inclusion in a watchlist of assistance grantees; and c) Initiation of recovery mechanisms.
SEC. 10. Liability of Government Officials. - Government
officials and school personnel found to have willfully facilitated or approved fraudulent applications shall be held administratively or criminally liable under applicable laws.
SEC. 11. Amount of Assistance. - The amount of assistance shall
depend on the nature and severity of the covered emergency, but in no case shall exceed Five Thousand Pesos (PHP 5,000.00) per student per emergency, subject to availability of funds.
SEC. 12. Real-Time Data Sharing and Validation. - The DSWD,
in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shall establish an integrated system for real-time data sharing and validation of student beneficiaries, subject to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as "Data Privacy Act of 2012." This system shall 7 allow validation of applications, monitor disbursements, and prevent duplication or abuse.
SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety
11 (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, in consultation with the DepEd, CHED, and other relevant agencies, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial
17 implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's 18 appropriations of the DSWD. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 15. Reporting and Oversight. - The DSWD shall submit an
annual report to Congress detailing the implementation of SAFE, including the disbursements made, types of assistance rendered, and the number of student beneficiaries served. Congress shall review its implementation and may recommend amendments as necessary.
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this
29 Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions thereof not so declared shall remain valid and effective.
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, orders,
issuances, rules, and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen
2 (15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved, - - - -
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.