Speaker Romualdez asked to reveal state aid beneficiaries

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez should disclose the beneficiary list of a state financial aid program to open its implementation and impact to public scrutiny, a former Finance department official said on Wednesday.

Ex-Finance Undersecretary Cielo D. Magno issued the challenge to Mr. Romualdez amid scathing public criticism for the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), a social welfare scheme providing cash assistance to low-income workers.

The office of Mr. Romualdez did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.

“As taxpayers, we should know who these beneficiaries are, how much they actually received from the program, and who were targeted to receive assistance,” she said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“There has to be a clear evaluation on the first year of implementation of the project since the President decided to keep the funding for it,” said Ms. Magno.

AKAP was formulated in 2023 by Mr. Romualdez and Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co, who heads the House appropriations panel. It was meant as a stop-gap measure for Filipinos with limited income.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has included AKAP in the 2025 national budget despite concerns that it could be exploited for vote-buying and fuel patronage politics as the midterm election approaches.

“There is potential for misuse here since the government has admitted that there is no clear framework or structure for its implementation,” Ms. Magno said. “We’ve also seen politicians… going around the country distributing AKAP.” 

Meanwhile, a bill seeking to institutionalize the cash aid program was filed last month, a move that Southern Leyte Rep. Christopherson M. Yap said could make the country’s social welfare system more responsive during times of crisis.

The proposal “represents a significant step forward in the government’s efforts to alleviate poverty and promote social justice,” Mr. Yap said in House Bill (HB) No. 11176, which he filed on Dec. 5, 2024.

The bill empowers the Social Welfare department and local government units (LGUs) to be the implementation agencies of AKAP.

Mr. Marcos has placed AKAP under “conditional implementation” for 2025, with the aid program to be implemented by the Social Welfare and Labor departments, and socioeconomic planning agency, according to a Dec. 30 statement by the Presidential Palace.

The proposed law stated that “low-income individuals” could avail of “outright cash assistance” under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for food, medical, funeral, and financial relief needs.

“Financial assistance may be in the form of outright cash ranging from P1,000 to P15,000 subject to the assessment of the DSWD social worker. For assistance above P15,000 a Guarantee Letter approved by the DSWD Secretary or his representative shall be given,” the bill stated.

In its current form, AKAP provides one-time cash assistance worth between P3,000 and P5,000 to workers whose income falls below the poverty threshold.

Meanwhile, the bill authorized LGUs to provide cash assistance specifically designated for the purchase of rice for eligible beneficiaries.

“The amount of rice assistance that can be given to qualified beneficiaries shall be equivalent to half of the cost of 25 kilograms of rice based on the suggested retail price from the Department of Agriculture,” the bill added.

The Marcos administration should instead look at “focusing on solutions that will directly manage inflation” instead of implementing more dole-out programs, said Ms. Magno. “Distributing aid will not help address the problems brought about by inflation.”

The government should rationalize its social protection programs instead of institutionalizing AKAP, she added, taking note of the existence of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a national poverty reduction program.

“The question really is we have a working program like 4Ps, what is the need for another one like AKAP?” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio