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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider AKAP gets zero funding in 2026 NEP

AKAP gets zero funding in 2026 NEP

Published Aug 14, 2025 12:47 pm  |  Updated Aug 14, 2025 02:51 pm

At A Glance

  • The Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP)--a government aid program that has received wide praise from House of Representatives was given zero funding under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


The Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP)--a government aid program that has received wide praise from House of Representatives was given zero funding under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
This was bared by Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman during the turnover ceremony for the P6.793-trillion spending plan at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
“Wala po yung AKAP sa budget ng DSWD for next year (There is no AKAP in the budget of the DSWD for next year)," Pangandaman said in response to a question during a press conference.
When asked why no fund was allocated for AKAP, the DBM chief said there were "still funds left under the 2025 budget".
"Like what I mentioned a while ago, we receive a total of P10 trillion na proposal (in proposals) from agencies, and given our limited fiscal space hindi pa po muna natin siya isinama (we are not going to include it yet),” Pangandaman noted.
AKAP is a program of Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD).
According to the agency, AKAP provided P5,000 in cash assistance to nearly five million near-poor Filipinos in 2024. It reportedly achieved a 99.31percent utilization rate of its P26.7-billion budget.
Numerous House members have praised AKAP in the past as an effective "ayuda" or aid program for middle-income folk.
The DSWD had intended to provide AKAP to another five million beneficiaries this year.
Meanwhile, Pangandaman said that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)--the country’s flagship poverty alleviation initiative--was given P112.9 billion under the 2026 NEP.
She said the P112.997 billion allocation for 4Ps was intact for all the recipients.
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