MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) welcomed legislative measures aimed to institutionalize the social safety-net program called the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP), an agency official said Thursday.
AKAP has been an important component of the Bagong Pilipinas Service Fair (BPSF), the country’s biggest service caravan under the Marcos administration that provides major government services to less fortunate Filipinos.
“Kung mayroon pong legislative measure [for AKAP] na isinusulong sa Kongreso (If there is a legislative measure [for AKAP] being pushed in Congress), of course, we welcome that because that would mean additional services for the sectors that we serve,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao told reporters during the Thursday Media Forum at the DSWD Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
Camarines Norte Rep. Rosemarie Panotes has been pushing for a measure to make permanent the AKAP cash aid program of the DSWD intended for low-income earners, to ensure it will continue despite changes in the country’s leadership.
Panotes filed House Bill 10700 or the proposed “Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) Act,” citing its success in helping minimum wage earners cope with the elevated costs of goods and services.
“Sabi nga ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian during the Senate budget briefing, matagal na rin po talagang gusto ng DSWD na magkaroon din talaga ng programa [AKAP] para sa mga near poor kasi mayroon tayong datos nyan…ang lagi nga po nating tinitingnan, dapat mapangalagaan, dapat maprotektahan din sila (Like what Secretary Rex Gatchalian said during the Senate budget briefing, that the DSWD has long been wanting to really have this program [AKAP] for our near poor because we have that data…we always look how to take care, to protect them) from the impacts of inflation or from the effects of disasters),” she said.
The DSWD spokesperson said AKAP has been receiving good feedback from its beneficiaries which can be viewed by the public in the social media pages of DSWD Central Office and Field Offices.
She invited legislators to observe the AKAP implementation so they could provide suggestions or insights to further improve the program.
“Our esteemed and respected legislators are welcome to observe how the DSWD implements ito pong (this) AKAP,” Dumlao said.
In her explanatory note, Panotes said AKAP was mandated under a special provision in the 2024 General Appropriations Act to give financial aid to low-wage workers heavily affected by rising inflation.
“Due to the immense success of the program in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable and disadvantaged minimum wage earners, there is a need to make this permanent [so] that whoever will govern the country, the granting of AKAP will continue so that target beneficiaries and their families needing immediate intervention may have access to basic services from the government,” Panotes said.
During the Senate Finance Committee deliberation of the DSWD 2025 proposed budget last Sept. 16, Gatchalian said the agency would continue to lobby for the retention of the AKAP in the line item of its incoming budget.
"Because it [AKAP] is helping our people,” Gatchalian told Senate panel.
Gatchalian said the department has published the guidelines so people will know how to access. (PNA)
