Latest news with #AyudaparasaKaposangKitaProgram
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DBM: AKAP not a priority but up to Congress to propose funding
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Friday said it is up to members of Congress to decide whether or not they would propose to fund the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) again next year, as the program received zero allocation under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP). Pangandaman, however, maintained that AKAP—an assistance program for minimum-wage earners—is not included in the priority programs of the administration. "Basta po sa Executive, doon sa binigay nating proposal, hindi natin naisama sa 2026 NEP 'yung AKAP," she said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. (For the Executive, we didn't include AKAP in the 2026 NEP.) "So, nasa Congress na po kung gusto nilang idagdag ito ulit. Pero sa amin ay hindi siya kasama sa priority programs," she added. (So, it is up to Congress if they will propose funding it again. But for us, it is not included in the priority programs.) To recall, there was also no allocation for AKAP under the 2025 NEP submitted by the Department of Budget and Management. The House of Representatives, however, allotted P39 billion for AKAP under its version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). This was then deleted entirely under the Senate's version. During the bicam, the AKAP still received an allocation of about P26 billion under the final version of the GAB. The so-called budget "insertion" for AKAP was among the criticisms of the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Pangandaman stressed that some P13 billion in undisbursed AKAP allocations remain under the 2025 budget. "Medyo malaki pa po 'yung natitira. Puwede pang [magamit sa 2026…Two years validity ng budget]," she said. (A huge amount is still left. This can still be used in 2026 as the budget has a two-year validity.) Maybe a veto? Asked if the DBM would recommend to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to veto should the funding for AKAP still be included in the 2026 budget given the limited fiscal space, Pangandaman said, "Siguro po [maybe]." "Ang masakit po kasi 'pag nave-veto kunwari ilagay po nila tapos hindi natin priority tapos vineto natin, tapon na po 'yan. Hindi na natin magagamit, sayang…. Bababa na ang level ng budget natin. Sana nilagay na lang natin sa ibang programa na sa tingin natin mas makakatulong," she explained. (What's disheartening is that if we allocate funds for such, and it gets vetoed by the President because it's not a priority, then the funding will be removed entirely. We will not be able to use it anymore and our budget level will decrease. We could've used that funding for other projects that can be helpful.) Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, earlier said AKAP funding would be subject to consultation with members of the House of Representatives. Suansing said AKAP had been quite helpful for the constituents of House members. She added that the House of Representatives, as part of a bicameral Congress alongside the Senate, has the authority to introduce amendments to the proposed budget, provided that they are in line with the administration's priority programs. "But again, the House will follow the call of President [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos [Jr.] in making sure that the programs and the projects that we will fund for fiscal year 2026 are aligned with the priorities of the administration," Suansing said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Budget panel chair to confer with House members on AKAP fate
Funding for the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), the assistance program for minimum-wage earners, which has been defunded in the National Expenditure Program for 2026, will be subject to consultation with members of the House of Representatives. According to Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, AKAP had been quite helpful for the constituents of House members. 'I would have to confer with my colleagues in the House because this would have to be a collective decision, whether or not to add funding for AKAP for this budget cycle,' Suansing told reporters. 'Personally, in recent years, nakita ko 'yung naitulong ng AKAP sa aming mga constituencies, or sectors that were previously untapped by AICS,' she added, referring to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman earlier said that AKAP was not included in the proposed P6.7 trillion budget for 2026. She said there were still undisbursed AKAP allocations under the 2025 budget. 'So we see the value in AKAP. So that's why, as I said, I would need to confer with my colleagues in the House because I would need to know the disposition of the whole House with regard to AKAP,' Suansing said. Suansing said that the House of Representatives, as part of a bicameral Congress alongside the Senate, had the authority to introduce amendments to the proposed budget, provided that they are in line with the administration's priority programs. 'The agencies have the right to express their views that these are our priority programs. Please make sure these are funded. We welcome the suggestions or the thoughts of our partners in the Executive with regard to which programs and projects they want funded," Suansing said. "And given that Congress has the power of the purse, we actually actually have that ability to look into every single line item in the National Expenditure program [as proposed by the President] and the General Appropriations Bill [to be approved by Congress], as well as move around the funding [to other budget items] accordingly,' she added. 'But again, the House will follow the call of President [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos [Jr.] in making sure that the programs and the projects that we will fund for fiscal year 2026 are aligned with the priorities of the administration,' Suansing said. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
29-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
92 Mercury Drug stores to accept guarantee letters from AICS, AKAP beneficiaries
Several Mercury Drug stores nationwide will accept guarantee letters (GL) from the beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) starting June 2. According to Isa Avendaño-Umali's report on Super Radyo dzBB on Thursday, 92 branches of the pharmacy brand will recognize the letters issued by the DSWD to help beneficiaries save money in purchasing medicines. The participating outlets will accept GLs issued by the DSWD Central Office and field offices in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, SOCSKSARGEN, and Caraga. AICS is targeted to individuals or families who are experiencing crisis, tragedy, or severe poverty. On the other hand, AKAP is meant for individuals earning below the minimum wage. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News
