THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said guidelines for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) are likely to be released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) next week.
AKAP provides one-time cash assistance worth P3,000 to P5,000 to workers whose income falls below the poverty threshold.
“Sinusulat nalang ng DSWD. Nagbigay na po ng komento ang dalawang ahensiya na tutulong sa pagbabalangakas, ang DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) (The DSWD is drafting it with input from DoLE and NEDA),” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman told a radio program on Tuesday.
“Expect that by next week, these new guidelines might be signed,” she said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed AKAP in conditional implementation status when he signed the P6.326-trillion budget for 2025.
It requires that the P26-billion AKAP to “only be disbursed after clear guidelines that are put in place to ensure proper use of the funds,” the DBM said.
However, Ms. Pangandaman said the guidelines were just one of the documents that DSWD needs to pass before the Office of the President can approve the AKAP releases.
“Kailangan makapag provide sila ng bagong physical target, financial target, special budget request.” (They need to submit physical and financial targets and a special budget request.)
The DBM said that the P757-billion budget adjustments, which include the funding for AKAP are subject to a process called For Issuance of SARO (Special Allotment Release Orders) or FISARO.
The SARO will only be released once agencies meet the requirements and secure approval from the President.
Ms. Pangandaman said the release of funds might take a while as the guidelines have yet to be finalized with comment from economic managers.
Among the AKAP’s new provisions is the involvement of DoLE and NEDA.
NEDA will also conduct a Monitoring and Evaluation Study on AKAP with the Philippine Statistics Authority.
She also said that the beneficiaries have now been “defined” as those with incomes below the regional minimum wage. She added that there will be no “middle man” as DSWD social workers will be present.
The list of beneficiaries will be posted on the DSWD website monthly. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante