New program to assist families through cash aid to continue in 2025 — Romualdez
MANILA, Philippines — Even before the government implements a new program where families earning P23,000 and below get a one-time P5,000 cash grant, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez believes this initiative would continue into 2025.
Romualdez in a statement said that the House of Representatives will most likely continue funding the new P60-billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP), which forms part of the P500 billion social amelioration program under the 2024 national budget.
“We intend this to be a continuing program to help our people. Thus, it is critical that we should make it work in its first year of implementation,” Romualdez said on Wednesday
“We just have to make sure that the beneficiaries are qualified under government criteria and the money reaches them on time and with sufficient safeguards in place,” he added.
Under the said program, households with an income of less than P23,000 per month will get the one-time P5,000 assistance. With the P60 billion allocation, House leaders believe 12 million families can benefit from the program.
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During the end of the bicameral conference committee meetings, House committee on appropriations chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co explained that the administration came up with the program as a measure against inflation.
The funds for the AKAP would be part of the locally-funded projects of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday signed into law the P5.768 trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA), which Romualdez says ensures an uninterrupted delivery of essential programs and services.
