ROMUALDEZ SAYS AKAP TO BENEFIT MILLIONS OF POOR FILIPINOS, URGES SENATORS TO ENGAGE WITH THE GRASSROOTS

By Junex Doronio

MANILA – Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez reaffirmed the broad public support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) and emphasized the need to secure its funding in the 2025 budget, calling it a vital lifeline for millions of Filipinos facing poverty.

In an interview with media during the Tabang Bikol – Tindog Oragon relief caravan and Bagong Pilipinas Sebisyo Fair in Albay on November 21, 2024, Romualdez encouraged senators to engage with the grassroots to see firsthand the positive impact of financial aid programs like AKAP on Filipino households.

“Opo, nadidinig po natin ‘yong iba sa Senado, hindi yata nakaka-intindi kasi hindi yata sila bumababa masyado,” Romualdez said, responding to some senators’ calls to defund AKAP.

“Kaya nandito kami, umiikot kami sa mga probinsya at sa Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair. Mahigit dalawang dosenang probinsya ang aming naikutan, at ngayon nandito kami sa Bicol. Nakikita po natin na ito ang programa na talagang kailangan ng mga kababayan natin,” he said, representing the 300-plus-member House of Representatives.

Romualdez has pledged the House’s full support for AKAP in the 2025 budget, noting its benefit to over 4 million “near-poor” households nationwide. He expressed his commitment to defend the program, underscoring its tangible impact.

“Sasabihin ko na sa ating mga kaibigan sa Senado, umikot na lang muna kayo at tanungin ninyo ang taumbayan kung anong gusto nila. Nakikita po natin na gustung-gusto nila itong programang ito,” he added.

AKAP provides one-time cash assistance of P3,000 to P5,000 to families earning below the poverty threshold and not covered by other government aid programs.

Under Speaker Romualdez’s leadership, the program has supported over 4 million households, utilizing P20.7 billion of its P26.7 billion allocation so far. He committed the House to fight for AKAP’s inclusion in the 2025 budget after the Senate removed it.

“This initiative has proven its value by offering immediate relief to struggling households, empowering them to weather economic challenges, and strengthening their resilience against inflation and other shocks,” Romualdez previously stated.

He highlighted AKAP’s success in regions like Bicol, Central Luzon, and Western Visayas, where utilization rates exceeded 70 percent. In the National Capital Region alone, over 589,000 families have benefited from AKAP.

Romualdez recently called on the Senate to reconsider its stance, echoing DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian’s plea to preserve 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.

The Speaker also underscored AKAP’s role in sustaining consumer spending and driving economic growth, describing it as a model of effective government intervention. “Programs like AKAP stabilize households, strengthen communities, and contribute to the country’s economic resilience,” he explained.

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