By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. placed the Ayuda Para sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP) funding for 2025 under conditional implementation.
Marcos signed on Monday the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) in a ceremony at Malacañang Palace in Manila.
He vetoed over P194 billion in line items which he deemed inconsistent with the administration’s priorities.
In his speech, Marcos also announced that AKAP will be among the items that will be placed under conditional implementation to “ensure that the people’s funds are utilized in accordance with their authorized and stated purpose.”
AKAP will continue to be implemented in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), according to the President.
“This way, we ensure that its implementation will be strategic, leading to the long-term improvement of the lives of qualified beneficiaries, while guarding against misuse and duplication, and fragmented benefits,” Marcos said.
“This approach is anchored on a simple yet profound truth: The appropriation of public funds must not break the public trust,” he added.
The P26 billion allocation for DSWD’s AKAP was among the main points of contention in the 2025 national budget.
According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, the AKAP budget remains but will only be released once the guidelines have been finalized and met by concerned agencies.
“’Yong AKAP po is still there. It’s just that, bago natin ma-release ’yong pondo, we need to issue guidelines po together with DSWD, DOLE, and NEDA para maging consistent ’yong pagbibigay ng AKAP sa tamang recipients at hindi magdoble-doble ’yong binibigay natin na mga cash assistance,” Pangandaman said in a press briefing in Malacañang shortly after the enactment of the GAA.
AKAP provides cash assistance to minimum wage earners and near-poor Filipinos to help tide them over the effects of inflation.
Aside from AKAP, other special provisions under conditional implementation include:
- DSWD-OSEC SP on the ”PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn” (PAMANA) Program;
- DPWH-OSEC on the Basic Infrastructure Program;
- UA SP on ‘Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects’;
- Office of the Ombudsman SP on Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions, along with the Release of Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions;
- Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Lower Courts SP on ‘Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses of the Lower Courts’;
- DA-OSEC SP on the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund;
- UA SP on the Use of Excess Revenue from the Total Annual Tariff Revenue from Rice Importation;
- Calamity Fund SP of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program;
- DOF-BOC SP on the ‘Rewards and Incentives Fund’; and
- Congress of the Philippines SPC on the Availability of Appropriations and Cash Allocations
Of the P194 billion that the President vetoed, P26.065 billion were for projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways while P168.240 billion were allocated for unprogrammed appropriations.