MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) cautioned the public on Thursday regarding a video circulating on the social media platform TikTok, falsely claiming that the department would offer educational assistance for students. Although the video is no longer accessible, a screenshot shared by the DSWD indicated that it suggested individuals interested in obtaining the purported assistance should complete a “Social Amelioration Card” form and await a text message or phone call.
The DSWD emphasized that it does not solicit personal information online, as doing so would breach the Data Privacy Act.
“Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang DSWD ay hindi nanghihingi ng personal information online para sa application ng ‘educational assistance’ dahil ito ay labag sa Data Privacy Act,” it said.
Additionally, the DSWD highlighted its Tara, Basa! tutoring program, which enlists 2nd to 4th-year college students to assist children experiencing difficulties in learning to read. This program is accessible to families facing economic challenges.
The DSWD also urged the public to scrutinize and authenticate online content, cautioning that materials originating from unreliable sources could potentially be sources of scams.
