Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has reiterated that the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) is a laudable step that allows low-income earners or the ‘near-poor’ sector to also avail of the social protection services of the government.

“Itong AKAP kasi, social protection ‘to, trabaho ng estado yan — na pangalagaan ang kanyang mga mamamayan at hindi na sapat na ang pinangangalagaan lang natin yung mga mahihirap. We expanded na pati yung mga low-income or yung near-poor kung tawagin, napo-proteksyunan na rin natin,” Secretary Gatchalian said in an interview aired over PTV’s  noontime program, Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon last Monday (January 13).

The DSWD chief stressed the importance of the AKAP, which provides safety nets for the near-poor sector, is to ensure that they will not slip back to poverty due to economic shocks, such as rising inflation.

Secretary Gatchalian said more than 5 million individuals have benefitted from the AKAP’s implementation in 2024, playing a crucial role in defraying the impact of soaring prices on goods and commodities among the beneficiaries.

“Alam naman natin last year sa hindi naman ginu-gusto ng kahit sino, it happened worldwide, tumaas ‘yung presyo ng bilihin, inflation. So, at least, natulungan natin sila na mabigyan ng proteksyon sa ganitong mga panahon,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.

For the year 2025, the DSWD chief said the AKAP is set for a conditional implementation subject to the issuance of new and stricter guidelines, as conveyed in the veto message of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. when he signed the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025 last December 30.

“Bagamat pina-finalize pa namin ‘yung guidelines with the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA),  ‘yung AKAP maganda siyang programa, maraming natulungan. Ang gusto lang ng Pangulo may safety nets laban sa misuse, sabi nga niya sa veto message niya,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

Among the safety-nets pressed by the President is to develop a grievance mechanism that
will tighten the monitoring of AKAP’s implementation, including more stringent guidelines on the presence of political figures from the program’s payout activities.

“Ayaw rin natin siyang magamit sa politika. Kaya nga ang utos ng Pangulo ipagbawal ang mga tarpaulin, at mga present na politiko. So, yan nilalagay na rin natin sa guidelines,” Secretary Gatchalian said. (LSJ)