(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY – Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre has urged the restoration of the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) in the 2025 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget, emphasizing its critical role in supporting low-income families amid economic challenges.
Acidre criticized the Senate’s decision to remove AKAP funding, highlighting its success in aiding over four million beneficiaries, boosting grassroots purchasing power, and fostering local economic growth.
“If our colleagues in the Senate have concerns regarding the program’s implementation, we encourage them to propose reforms that would strengthen AKAP rather than eliminating its funding entirely. Constructive solutions, not the abandonment of impactful initiatives, should be the way forward,” he emphasized.
Acidre argued that the program addresses inflation and emergencies without fostering dependency, underscoring its value as a safety net for struggling families.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez noted that AKAP has already utilized P20.7 billion of its P26.7 billion allocation, benefiting millions nationwide, including 589,000 families in Metro Manila.
Acidre appealed to the bicameral conference committee to reconsider AKAP’s merits and restore its funding. He called for reforms to enhance its implementation rather than eliminating the program, stressing its importance in fostering inclusivity and economic resilience.
“Tingog party-list will continue to champion initiatives like AKAP that make a tangible difference in the lives of hardworking Filipinos,” Acidre concluded.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
