What makes the federal government’s ‘ayuda’ program AKAP controversial?

Why is AKAP controversial if, on paper, it’s supposed to assist these in want?

AKAP, which stands for Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program, targets under minimum-wage earners whose burdens have grown heavier due to inflation up to now years.

The federal government has numerous money help packages, however most goal indigents or the “poorest of the poor.”

Erwin Tulfo, who was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first social welfare secretary earlier than he grew to become a lawmaker, stated he conceptualized the social amelioration program geared toward offering monetary help to different near-poor Filipinos.

This underprivileged phase of the inhabitants is normally not eligible for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Help to People in Disaster Conditions (AICS), and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Deprived/Displaced Employees (TUPAD), amongst others.

“These working in quick meals, waiters, safety guards — these incomes ₱23,000 or much less — don’t get any monetary help,” Erwin Tulfo stated in February 2024, when he was a Home member representing party-list group ACT-CIS.

This system originated within the Home underneath the management of Speaker Martin Romualdez, who has turn into the face of the mission.

Romualdez, by means of the years, has gathered political enemies left and proper, and it’s not stunning that any mission he leads could be a magnet for intrigue.

Some, if not all, of the criticisms are legitimate.

How did AKAP get inserted into the nationwide price range?

When the manager, through the Division of Finances and Administration, submitted to Congress the 2024 Nationwide Expenditure Program — the price range proposal of the administration — it didn’t embody funding for AKAP.

After the bicameral convention committee, the place senators and Home members met to reconcile disagreeing provisions of the price range payments they handed, AKAP made it to the spending invoice that the legislative despatched to Malacañang for Marcos’ signature.

When the 2024 Normal Appropriations Act got here out, the price range for the Division of Social Welfare and Growth (DSWD) abruptly included a P26-billion allocation for AKAP, regardless of the shortage of implementing tips on the time.

“Within the Senate, I deal with the DSWD price range…however this P26.7-billion within the price range of DSWD is alien to me,” Senator Imee Marcos, sister of the President and cousin of the Speaker — stated in February 2024. She additionally occurs to be at odds with each her brother and cousin.

It’s the identical story for the 2025 price range.

The DBM’s price range request to Congress had no provision for AKAP, but the Home inserted it after they transformed the NEP into the Normal Appropriations Invoice (GAB).

It was later revealed that the Home even elevated the proposed funding for AKAP from P26 billion within the 2024 price range to P39 billion for 2025.

After the Home handed the GAB, it went to the Senate, which opposed it and utterly eliminated the P39 billion.

“We could proceed AKAP?” Speaker Romualdez requested a crowd of beneficiaries through the Home-led AKAP mall tour in November 2024. When the viewers responded with a convincing sure, he stated, “That’s the reply our reluctant senators want to listen to.”

Choose senators and Home members convened from end-November to early December to iron out disagreeing provisions on their variations of the spending invoice. After the closed-door conferences, they determined to revive funding for AKAP.

The Home didn’t get the P39 billion it needed, however the P26 billion from the earlier 12 months was retained.

The President accredited that spending invoice, however the ceremonial signing was delayed by every week on account of controversies that hounded the price range — together with last-minute funding cuts for the Division of Schooling and the Philippine Well being Insurance coverage Company.

May AKAP be among the many triggers when he warned Congress he would veto a spending invoice marred by congressional insertions?

“I’ll return any proposed Normal Appropriations Invoice that’s not totally aligned with the Nationwide Expenditure Program,” he stated in his 2025 State of the Nation Handle in July.

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Is AKAP pork barrel?

Whether or not members of Congress prefer it or not, AKAP inevitably will get in comparison with pork barrel — a lump sum tucked into the DSWD price range.

Lawmakers can situation endorsements or referrals to the DSWD so their districts can get AKAP funding.

Speaker Romualdez’s workplace stated this doesn’t assure approval, as a result of that energy lies with the implementing company.

“To allege in any other case is to misrepresent the legislation and institutional apply. The Supreme Courtroom’s landmark ruling in Belgica v. Government Secretary (PDAF case) prohibits legislators from exercising post-enactment discretion over public funds. The Home of Representatives, underneath Speaker Romualdez, totally upholds this precept,” Home spokesperson Princess Abante stated.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian beforehand stated social staff overview and consider requests for AKAP funding earlier than approving them.

Nonetheless, a referral from Speaker Romualdez’s workplace carries enormous weight.

Navotas Consultant Toby Tiangco, a former ally and a distant relative, even accused Romualdez of utilizing AKAP and different help packages as rewards for lawmakers who attend the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Honest.

“The Workplace of the Speaker firmly denies the baseless accusation that it workout routines post-appropriation management over packages akin to AICS, AKAP, TUPAD, and MAIP,” Abante stated.

AKAP is a robust political software, one which was utilized over the past elections.

Assist distribution and disbursement of public funds are prohibited through the marketing campaign interval.

There’s a authorized loophole although — many politicians went round distributing help earlier than the official marketing campaign interval, since there’s no legislation penalizing untimely campaigning.

AKAP additionally reinforces patronage politics in a rustic the place many citizens have come to view members of Congress as a supply of monetary assist first, and lawmakers second.

The fact is, many lawmakers have a better probability of getting reelected in the event that they ship seen initiatives and providers that their constituents can really feel.

That’s why lawmakers foyer inside Congress for greater help funding for his or her districts.

The chief as soon as once more didn’t embody AKAP in its price range proposal for the upcoming 12 months.

“There are nonetheless remaining funds for 2025, and we obtained a complete of ₱10.3 trillion in proposals from businesses, and given our restricted fiscal house, we didn’t embody it for now,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman stated after the price range turnover from the manager to Congress in mid-August.

Home appropriations chairperson Mika Suansing stated “it’s an ongoing dialogue” whether or not the Home would fund AKAP.

“We actually see the worth of AKAP. We’ve been seeing the way it’s been useful to a lot of our constituencies, particularly these beforehand untapped, and never reached by AICS (Help to People in Disaster Scenario),” Suansing stated.

Will the Home nonetheless insist on AKAP and embody it within the price range invoice, although it’s not within the proposal by the Marcos administration? – Rappler.com