DBM chief: Safeguards in place to keep AKAP funds from being misused

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday said that safeguard measures are being put in place to prevent political abuse and ensure that the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) will serve its intended beneficiaries.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Pangandaman said that AKAP’s implementation guidelines are now being drafted and shall be released by the DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“I think merong isang provision doon sa draft na nakita ko na pinagbabawal maglagay ng mga tarpaulin, mukha, stickers ng mga politiko 'pag namigay ng social assistance. I support that. Tulad ng sabi ng Presidente, nakikinig po tayo sa gusto ng ating mga kababayan,” Pangandaman said.

[I think there is a provision in the draft which prohibits putting up of tarpaulin, faces, stickers of politicians in distributing social assistance. I support that. Just what the President said, we should listen to what the public wants.]

“Nakikinig po tayo sa gusto ng taumbayan na ayaw nila na magamit ‘yung mga social program nang basta-basta or for any political gain, campaign purposes or whatsoever.  Kaya po we want it to be very specific kung paano idi-distribute ‘yang mga social protection program.”

[We are listening to what the public wants ... they don't want the social program to be used for any political gain, campaign purposes or whatsoever. That's why we want it to be very specific on how to distribute the social protection programs.]

The Budget chief made the remark amid allegations that the AKAP may be exploited for election campaigning.

Over the weekend, the DSWD said it is tightening its guidelines in implementing AKAP to ensure that it would not be used for political gains.

Pangandaman noted that AKAP is under a “conditional implementation” as per the President’s veto message.

“Nakalagay po dito, na bago nila ma-implement or mapamigay itong tinatawag na AKAP, kailangan po ay makapagawa sila ito po [It is written that before they implement AKAP, it is necessary that they should do this]: “[T]o ensure that the government assistance is not merely a provisional solution to a persistent issue, I am compelled to subject the implementation thereof to the convergence of efforts of the DSWD, DOLE, NEDA, geared towards more strategic interventions leading to the long-term improvement of the lives of the qualified beneficiaries, while guarding against misuse and duplicative and fragmented benefits.”

“‘In this regard, the implementation of the AKAP shall be in strict compliance with pertinent laws, rules, regulations, and jurisprudence, and in accordance with the guidelines to be issued jointly by the DSWD, DOLE and NEDA’.”

The Budget chief said that the NEDA is eyeing the use of the national ID to prevent duplications.

Moreover, she said that the government is putting a trigger mechanism for the AKAP’s release.

“Parang dati po ‘yung fuel subsidy ng DOTR at saka ng DA (Department of Agriculture). Bago po nila ma-trigger ‘yung paglabas ng fuel subsidy, kailangan… mataas na level price ng gasoline,” Pangandaman said.

[It is similar to the previous fuel subsidy of the DOTr and DA. Before the release of the fuel subsidy, there should be a high level price of gasoline.]

On December 30, 2024, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the 2025 National Budget but placed AKAP under conditional implementation.

The P26-billion set aside for AKAP will only be disbursed after clear guidelines are put in place to ensure proper use of the funds.

“Sa akin po, dapat makarating po siya sa tamang beneficiary. Hindi po siya parang raffle so sigurado dapat po makarating siya sa tamang beneficiary,” Pangandaman said.

[For me, it should reach the right beneficiary. It is not a raffle ... it should reach the right beneficiary.]

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News