House: Imee Marcos signed bicam report that includes DSWD's AKAP

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Wednesday disputed Senator Imee Marcos' questioning of the P26.7-billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), saying she was among the signatories of the bicameral conference committee report that included the social assistance program in the proposed 2024 national budget. 

“They approved it. In fact, Senator Imee signed this committee report, this bicam,” said House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales in Sandra Aguinaldo and Tina Panganiban-Perez’s reports on 24 Oras.

Senator Marcos has linked the new social aid program to the controversial people's initiative. Marcos, who sponsored the 2024 budget of the DSWD in the Senate, reiterated that the AKAP program was not in the original proposal of the agency and criticized the lack of transparency in the changes to the budget bill during the bicameral conference committee meetings.

“They are stopped from speaking or criticizing what they have approved unless they tell us now they voted yes without reading the budget or at least the conference committee report,” Gonzales said.

On Tuesday, Marcos questioned in a Senate hearing the inclusion of the AKAP Program in the 2024 national budget, with senators saying they were both surprised and curious about the funding and nature of the program.

Marcos linked the new social aid program to the people's initiative (PI) campaign for Charter change.

“Malinaw po last December, dalawang beses po nag-meet ang bicameral conference committee at napag-usapan po itong programang AKAP ng DSWD,” said Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Raul Angelo Bungalow.

(It was clear that the bicameral committee met and discussed the DSWD’s AKAP last December.)

“’Yung programa nito, que bago-bago, sisirain po ng ilan sa mga senador. Eh wag naman po sana gano'n, 'no?” Bongalon added. 

(This program is new and yet senators are already demonizing it.  I hope they would stop.)

GMA News Online is still trying to get a comment from Marcos and will publish it as soon as it is available.

Meanwhile, Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman called on the senators to stop their accusations against the House of Representatives and to “let love win”.

“You say you want to amend these economic provisions. If there’s a will, there’s a way. so show the love and let love win,” Roman said. 

Gonzales echoed Roman's remarks: “Kung ako ang senador, pakikinggan ko ang Presidente because yun ang Valentine’s gift natin sa kanya”.

(If I were a senator, I would listen to the President because that is the best Valentine’s gift we could give.)

Speaker Martin Romualdez remains open for a dialogue with the Senate, according to Gonzales.—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News