MANILA — One week after the disorderly education aid distribution, people are still queuing outside the offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), a night before the resumption of the dole-out.

Some of them were waiting as early as 8 p.m. Friday. Many walk-in applicants are still hoping to receive financial assistance despite the DSWD's advisory that walk-ins will not be allowed.

"Pakiusap huwag na sana pumunta, masasayang ang Sabado n'yo lalo kung mangungutang pa ng pamasahe," DSWD spokesperson Romel Lopez earlier said.

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At the DSWD office in Manila, guards reminded them that walk-in transactions are no longer allowed and asked those who did not register through a provided QR code to go home.

But many are still not aware of this new protocol.

"Na-late lang po kami sa balitang 'yun na no walk-in na pala. Kailangan na pala ng register," senior highschool student Alfadz Abduhari said.

"Hindi po talaga kami na-update... Nakaka-disappoint po siyempre di po ako papasok sa trabaho mamaya tapos magkano rin 'yung mawawala sa 'kin di ba?" another student Jill Mae Jimenez said.

"Sayang po kasi ilang beses na po ako nag-absent sa trabaho para po asikasuhin 'to. Kasi working student po ako at single parent po 'yung mama ko kaya super need ko po talaga 'yung financial assistance na ibibigay," Jimenez added.

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Many of the parents hope that DSWD would consider those who couldn't register online due to the lack of mobile phones and gadgets.

"Sumama po loob ko tulad ko di ko afford bumili ng cellphone wala naman akong dalang cellphone. Paano ako mag-o-online? So ibig sabihin 'yung 2K wala na 'yun kasi wala naman akong cellphone," Maria Lorena Albarado said.

"Siyempre sa sitwasyon natin ngayon unahin natin 'yung pagkain... Hanggang ngayon wala pa pong gamit 'yung anak ko," she said.

Sixty-nine-year-old Lucia de Jesus has the same situation as Albarado.

"Makikipagsapalaran po ako kasi iniisip ko mga apo ko kasi solo parent po ako tsaka PWD ang tatay ng mga anak ko. Kaya ako nakikipagsapalaran wala po kaming cellphone," De Jesus said.

"Kaya ako nagsusumikap ako dito pumila nagsakripisyo po ako galing pa akong Caloocan. Pinaghirapan ko 'to kaya ako maghihirap ako dito kahit anong oras... Mahirap po ang buhay."

The Manila Police District assigned 50 police personnels to the area to control the crowd and to make sure that social distancing protocols are observed.

They asked people who couldn't show proof of their DSWD appointment to leave the queue and go home.

Only 1,250 people who received a text message from the agency will be accommodated in the Manila branch on Saturday.

"'Yung 1,250 lang na quota 'yun lang po ang pagbibigyan... Naglagay tayo ng sapat na bilang ng pulis na makaka-control ng mga kababayan natin," PNP Aviation Security Group Director PBGen Andre Dizon said.

Last week, the DSWD drew flak for its unorganized distribution of educational aid to underprivileged students which led to overcrowding.

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