Good move against ayuda

By Alex P. Vidal 

“The Philippines, it has a politics of patronage. Family and favors, in addition to the old cliche of guns, goons and gold, really do still hold a lot of sway.” —Miguel Syjuco

THE decision of the executive branch not to propose funding for the Ayuda para sa Kapong ang Kita Program (AKAP) for the 2026 national budget was one step closer to clipping the wings of those trying to abuse and misuse public funds for their own whims and caprices.

Good move, Mr. President.

It is now crystal clear. No more funding for ayuda, which was widely believed to have been used only as vehicle of political patronage and even graft and corruption.

This is a strong message for those thinking they are malapit sa luwag (near the cauldron’s stirring paddles) in the Marcos Jr. administration.

We laud this move by the executive office. This is how public funds should be handled and protected from abusive public officials.

Now that Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman confirmed on August 13 that the government social welfare program was removed from the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), taxpayers will now heave a sigh of relief.

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Pangandaman was quoted in the Philippine press as saying during a press briefing at the House of Representatives, “Doon po sa AKAP, wala po ‘yung AKAP sa budget ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) for next year.” (In AKAP’s case, there is no allocation for it in the DSWD budget for next year.)

First introduced in 2023 by House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol Party-list), AKAP was supposedly intended to provide financial assistance to below minimum wage earners and indigent Filipinos affected by inflation.

It was included in the 2024 national budget and again in 2025, with roughly P26 billion allotted for each year and was called as Romualdez’s “pet project.”

AKAP was not allocated funding for 2026 because it still has remaining funds from 2025 and the government has “limited fiscal space,” according to the budget chief as quoted by the Philippine press.

She explained: “May natitirang pondo pa po for 2025 and like I mentioned a while ago, we received a total of P10 trillion proposal from agencies, and given our limited fiscal space, hindi pa po natin siya sinama.” (There are still remaining funds for 2025 and, like I mentioned earlier, we received a total of P10 trillion in proposals from agencies. Given our limited fiscal space, we did not include it for now.)

Because it was allegedly functioning like a “pork barrel” of the past congresses, AKAP has faced harsh criticism especially that lawmakers have the discretion over selecting its beneficiaries.

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Solons in favor of AKAP have justified the largesse, insisting the DSWD implemented the program and that its social workers screened and approved beneficiaries.

Legislators and local officials can refer potential aid recipients but have no authority over the final selection, explained the DSWD.

It may be recalled that the controversial fund fund was utilized in the aftermath of a series of storms in July, from Crising to Emong, during which hundreds of cities and municipalities declared a state of calamity due to severe flooding and mass displacement of residents.

AKAP offered food, medical, funeral and cash relief assistance of up to P10,000, depending on the social worker’s assessment, added the DSWD.

Members of the House of Representatives questioned the AKAP program for its similarities to the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) during the 2025 budget deliberations.

Critics also zeroed in on the lack of clear guidelines, calling it merely a “dole-out” scheme. It was reported that while the senate initially removed the program, it was later reinstated during the bicameral conference committee deliberations.

Both the Lower and Upper chambers of congress now face a test of their commitment to transparent and honest deliberations until the ratification of the budget with no allocation for AKAP in the 2026 budget.

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Below is the complete information from Bombo Radyo FB page relayed to us by our friend, erstwhile city hall factotum and true public servant Ariel Castaneda:

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. “- Martin Luther King

The Iloilo City Council declined to allow Councilor Sheen Mabilog to deliver her privilege speech during the regular session on Wednesday morning, Aug. 13.

Councilor Romel Duron explained that during a recess, he asked Mabilog for a copy of her speech, which was not provided. 

He maintained that if the speech pertained to the Real Property Tax (RPT) issue, the council would not permit it.

Mabilog responded that her speech primarily focused on the rising cost of living in the city.

“It’s about inflation and its relation to RPT, but I want to focus on inflation and how it leads to the closure of establishments,” Mabilog explained.

During the division of the house vote, Mabilog was the sole councilor in favor of allowing her to deliver the speech, while the rest voted against.

If true, this is a bad omen in as far as transparency and freedom of speech and expression are concerned.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)