LEADERS of the House Young Guns have expressed full support for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), saying the social amelioration program positively impacts the lives of poor Filipino families.
House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre of Tingog Partylist, House Assistant Majority Leaders Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur and
Jil Bongalon of Ako Bicol Partylist and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Lordan Suan all expressed reservations to the decision of the Senate Finance Committee to remove the AKAP funds in the proposed 2025 national budget.
Acidre called on the Senate to look at the concrete results of AKAP, stressing that even a modest amount of assistance goes a long way for families barely getting by.
“Kita ho natin na ‘yung kaunting halaga eh malaking ginhawa sa ating mga kababayan lalung-lalo na ‘yung mga nasa sakto lang ‘yung kinikita. Yun naman din on the macro, nakita natin the stronger purchasing power ng ating nasa laylayan eh nakatulong din sa pagpapasigla ng ating mga lokal na ekonomiya,” Acidre said.
“Sana tingnan ng Senado ang programa sa sariling merits kasi sayang naman,” he added.
Adiong echoed Acidre’s sentiments, underscoring that AKAP embodies the goals of the “Bagong Pilipinas” initiative to bring government services closer to the people.
“Para sa akin, for the past several months na nagkaroon tayo ng Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, nakita natin ‘yung magandang resulta at benefits na nabibigay nito. AKAP is one of the main services na dire-diretso po naibibigay sa ating mga indigent and qualified beneficiaries,” Adiong said.
Bongalon, who represents a region frequently hit by natural disasters, highlighted how AKAP supports those just above the poverty line, who often receive little to no aid in times of crisis.
“If we have a program for the poorest of the poor which is the 4Ps, we should also have programs for minimum wage earners. Sa amin sa Bicol Region, malaking bagay ‘yung financial assistance na natanggap nila bago ang Bagyong Kristine. Hindi sila basta-basta na lamang magdedepende sa mga relief operations,” Bongalon stated.
Suan added that AKAP is data-driven, assisting low-income earners who constitute a substantial portion of the population.
“Iyong AKAP kasi hindi naman siya whimsical or arbitrary. Based on data siya, at ang mga binibigyan ay low-income earners,” he explained.
Adiong further pointed out that in regions with high poverty rates, AKAP serves as a vital lifeline.
“Coming from one of the poorest regions, kailangan po nakakatulong po iyan sa aming mga constituents. Kami ni Cong. Lordan Suan from Mindanao ay may mga communities na may conflict-affected areas. AKAP does exactly that,” Adiong said.
Bongalon stressed the need for the Senate to consider the real-world impact of AKAP, particularly in disaster-prone areas like Bicol.
“Malaking tulong po ito sa ating mga kababayan,” he noted.
The lawmakers underscored the importance of AKAP, urging the Senate to carefully review the program’s benefits before considering any move to remove or reduce its funding.
“Sa tingin ko, hindi natin dapat alisin ang programang ito dahil napakahalaga sa mga kapos ang kita,” Suan said.
“Let’s give the Filipino people the support they need, lalo na sa mga nangangailangan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bongalon also addressed the need for enhanced disaster preparedness in Bicol.
“Just recently, nandun po si Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa Camarines Sur at Albay kung saan namahagi ng assistance sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo. Nabanggit ko rin sa privilege speech ko na kailangan natin ng permanenteng evacuation centers sa lahat ng syudad at munisipyo. Sa tulong ng ating Pangulo at Speaker Martin Romualdez, suportado po ito,” he said.
The lawmaker also emphasized the need to improve the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) system to ensure a quicker response.
“Ang panukalang batas na ayusin ang NDRRMC ay makakatulong para magamit agad ang quick response fund o QRF sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan na nasalanta,” Bongalon explained.
In addition, Bongalon proposed legislation to stockpile essential items in every municipality to better respond to emergencies.
“Ang mga kailangan na food items at non-food items ay dapat nakalaan sa bawat munisipyo, probinsya at syudad. Naging problema ito sa Bicol, kung saan hindi nakatawid ang mga trucks na may dalang tulong dahil sa baha sa San Fernando at Milaor ng Camarines Sur,” he pointed out.
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