Merging of DSWD’s controversial Akap, AICS sought

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos is recommending the merging of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) controversial Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.

At the Senate’s marathon plenary debates on the proposed 2025 budget of DSWD held late Tuesday, Sen. Loren Legarda asked what’s the difference between Akap and AICS.

Both are social welfare services of the DSWD, but AICS primarily provides medical assistance, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance for other support services or needs of a person or family.

AKAP, on the other hand, is aimed at helping minimum wage and low income earners.

Sen. Imee Marcos, who was defending DSWD’s budget being its sponsor, said she has recommended the removal of Akap from the agency’s 2025 funding.

READ: Senate panel wants removal of budget for DSWD’s Akap

“My question is: Is that the same as AICS? Well, according to them it’s not, because it’s for minimum wage earners. I said, there is also a minimum wage person who dies and receives AICS, isn’t that the same thing? That’s why it’s confusing,” said Marcos.

“And to be honest, I deleted [Akap] in the Senate’s version because in my opinion, the government does not have a program owned by anyone. Everyone must join that and because of this, it is necessary to unite [and] adjust the guidelines,” she added.

At this point, Legarda sought a clarification, asking whether it is true that there’s no Akap in the Senate version of the 2025 national budget—to which Marcos answered in the affirmative.

“Yes, I deleted it entirely,” said Marcos.

“And we’re saying that the P39 billion in the Senate version was reduced and where did you put the P39 billion Akap?” Legarda asked.

Marcos said she leaves it to the wisdom of the Senate leadership, hoping that the issue may be addressed by the bicameral conference committee tasked to settle the differences between the lower and upper chamber’s version of the national budget bill.

“My recommendation is while we recognize the necessity of immediate relief by direct financial assistance, it is imperative that we focus also on social protection initiatives such as those mentioned by yourself—the SLP, Kalahi-CIDSS which foster longterm development and self-reliance rather than creating a new ayuda nation,” said Marcos.

“We don’t want that, don’t we? That’s why I’m proposing to increase funding for others that are developmental and at the same time, to unite AICS and Akap so that there is no more jealousy, teaching, [and] ambiguity,” she emphasized.

The Akap funding earlier became controversial after it was linked to the signature campaign for charter change.

Marcos particularly alleged that it was one of the government grants used to lure Filipinos into participating in the so-called “fake” people’s initiative.