FIGHTING FOR AYUDA
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has challenged senators to go to the grassroots and see how financial aid programs like the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) benefit many Filipino households.
In an ambush interview during the Tabang Bikol-Tindog Oragon activities in Region 5, Romualdez has affirmed the strong public support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) AKAP.
He reiterated the importance of maintaining the program in the 2025 budget, as it has become a lifeline for millions of Filipinos living on the edge of poverty.
“Opo, nadidinig po natin ‘yong iba sa Senado, hindi yata nakaka-intindi kasi hindi yata sila bumababa masyado,” Speaker Romualdez said, addressing calls to defund the AKAP initiative in the Senate.
“Kaya nandito kami, umiikot kami lahat sa mga probinsya, dito sa mga Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair. Higit dalawang dosenang probinsya ang naikutan namin, ngayon bumalik kami sa Bicol. Nakikita po natin ay ito po ang gusto ng mga kababayan po natin na programa, galing sa DSWD,” the House leader said.
Earlier, Romualdez pledged the House of Representatives’ full support to secure the funding for AKAP in the 2025 budget, highlighting the program’s impact on more than 4 million “near poor” Filipinos nationwide.
Speaker Romualdez expressed his commitment to defending AKAP, highlighting its tangible benefits.
“Sasabihin ko na sa ating mga kaibigan natin sa Senado, umikot na lang muna kayo at tanungin niyo muna sa taumbayan kung ano’ng gusto nila. Sa nakikita ko po, sa lahat ng pinupuntahan natin, gustong-gusto at napakabuti nitong programang ito,” he added.
AKAP provides one-time cash assistance ranging from P3,000 to P5,000 to families whose incomes fall below the poverty threshold and are not covered by other government aid programs.
Under Romualdez’s leadership, the program has supported over 4 million Filipino households, utilizing P20.7 billion of its P26.7 billion allocation to date.
He said the House of Representatives will fight for its reinstatement in the 2025 proposed national budget after senators removed it.
“This initiative has proven its value by providing immediate relief to struggling households, empowering them to weather economic challenges, and ensuring their resilience against inflation and other shocks,” the Speaker earlier said.
The Speaker pointed to the program’s success in regions like Bicol, Central Luzon and Western Visayas, where fund utilization rates have exceeded 70 percent. Over 589,000 families in the National Capital Region alone have already benefited from the program.
Speaker Romualdez recently called on the Senate to reconsider its stance against AKAP, aligning himself with DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian’s plea to protect the program.
“We stand with Secretary Gatchalian in urging our colleagues in the Senate to uphold the AKAP budget. This is about ensuring that no Filipino family falls back into poverty because of insufficient support,” he said.
