House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez thanked senators on Wednesday, Dec. 11 for ultimately backing the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which was something they initially opposed in the budget process.

Romualdez was on hand Wednesday at the Maynila Ballroom of the Manila Hotel when the Bicameral Conference Committee finally approved the P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2025. The bicam panel is composed select House members and senators.

“Na-maintain, opo. Just as we proposed sa GAB po (It was maintained, yes. Just as we propsoed in the GAB)," Romualdez said about AKAP in a chance interview after the bicam meeting.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa kapwa nating mga congressmen at sa Senate na sinuportahan nila ‘yung AKAP. Na-maintain at naibalik kaya tuloy-tuloy ang programa ng AKAP para sa mahihirap,” he said.

(We thank our fellow congressmen as well as the Senate for supporting the AKAP. It was maintained and returned, that's why AKAP--especially made for the poor--will continue.)

House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co stated that AKAP has been allocated P26 billion under the proposed 2025 national budget.

“Kinikilala ng Kongreso at Senado ang malaking tulong ng AKAP. Nag-desisyon ding maglaan ng pondo sa pangmatagalang proyekto tulad ng food security at healthcare (The House and Senate recognize AKAP’s benefits. We also chose to fund long-term projects like food security and healthcare),” Co said.

The Senate grabbed headlines last November when it defunded AKAP in its version of the 2025 outlay.

AKAP--Romualdez's brainchild--is often described as "ayuda" or aid for the middle class. It provides a one-time cash assistance of P3,000 to P5,000 to qualified beneficiaries whose incomes fall below the poverty threshold and who are not covered by other government aid programs.

“Iyun ang talagang hangarin nating lahat, tulungan natin ang ating mga kababayan sa kahirapan ng inflation at mataas na bilihin,” said Romualdez, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president.

(That's what we truly want, to help our countrymen cope with poverty and the high cost of goods caused by inflation.)

The AKAP is a line budget item under the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.

So far, only the House has been facilitating AKAP payouts in cooperation with the DSWD.

AKAP 'arrangements' with Senate?

When asked about reports that senators would also receive AKAP under next year's budget, Romualdez said that solons from both chambers can work out "arrangements".

“We can have arrangements now with the Senate po, we’re looking forward to that. We were supported by the Senate, so maraming salamat sa ating [mga senators] (so thank you very much to our senators)."

The House chief further spoke on the value of AKAP to Filipinos.

“Ito’y isang mahalagang programa para sa mga Pilipinong may trabaho ngunit hindi sapat ang kita. Tiniyak ng ating House panel na mananatili ang AKAP sa 2025 budget para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan,” the Speaker said in a separate statement.

(This is an important program for Filipinos who may have work but don't earn enough. Our House panel made sure that the AKAP would be maintained in the 2025 budget for the benefit of our people.)

Referring to the bicam's decision, Romualdez said: "Pinapakita nito ang pagpapahalaga ng Kongreso sa AKAP bilang lifeline ng maraming Pilipino."

(This shows that Congress recognizes AKAP as a lifeline for many Filipinos.)