ILOILO Rep. Janette Garin yesterday criticized the Senate’s decision to remove the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) in their approved version of the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025, saying senators seem to be detached from the reality on the ground.
“Tila hindi alam ng ating mga senador ang tunay na kalagayan ng mga Pilipino, lalo na ang mga minimum wage earners (Senators don’t seem to know the real situation of Filipinos, especially minimum wage earners),” Garin said in a statement.
Garin underscored the urgency of restoring the funding for AKAP when congressmen meet their Senate counterparts in the bicameral level to iron out the differing provisions in the Senate and the House of Representatives’ approved versions of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
The administration lawmaker defended AKAP for “its critical role in supporting millions of Filipinos who are often overlooked by existing social programs,” pointing out that the proposed P39 billion budget for the program could directly benefit over 12 million low-income Filipinos “struggling to make ends meet.”
“Napakalaking tulong nitong AKAP sa mga manggagawang kulang ang kinikita (AKAP is a big help to those whose incomes are insufficient. Under the AKAP, we are able to help those who are also helping themselves),” she said.
The House allowed P39 billion for the AKAP in its approved version of the government spending plan for next year, but the Senate removed the program, saying it was just an insertion of the lower house since it was not included in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by Malacañang. It realigned the allocation to other DSWD social assistance programs.
The Senate version of the 2025 national budget was contained under Committee Report No. 335 which Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, sponsored last Tuesday.
Garin explained that AKAP serves as a safety net for individuals “who often fall through the cracks of traditional social protection programs, including near-poor individuals who are not covered by the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program).”
“This program bridges the gap for those who are ineligible for regular assistance yet are vulnerable due to low wages and the high cost of food and other essential items,” she said.
Speaker Martin Romualdez has said the House will fight for the retention of the AKAP fund in the proposed 2025 budget when the budget deliberations reach the bicameral level.
The program, a brainchild of the Speaker and Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, provides a one-time cash assistance of P3,000 to P5,000 to qualified beneficiaries whose incomes fall below the poverty threshold and who are not covered by other government aid programs.
It is designed for the near poor, or “lower middle class” segment of the population, which includes minimum wage earners vulnerable to economic shocks like the sudden death of a household head, sickness, loss of job or runaway inflation that can easily send them back to poverty.
JUSTIFY AKAP
Poe said senators will ask their House counterparts to justify the “insertion” of the AKAP in its version of the 2025 budget bill during the bicameral conference hearings, which will start today at the Sheraton Manila Hotel in Pasay City.
“Hindi naman namin sinasabi na hindi mare-restore ito pero gusto naming maliwanagan ito. Bukas naman tayo sa kanilang rason (We are not totally shutting the door on its restoration, but we want to be clarified. We are open to their reasoning),” she said.
She said the P39.8 billion for the AKAP was realigned to other DSWD programs for additional benefits for senior citizens’ retirement programs, and the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) for its childcare, and educational assistance programs. – With Raymond Africa
