The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are set to develop a refined intake form to assess eligibility for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).
This initiative follows a meeting held on Jan. 3 where DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, and NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balicasan discussed improvements to the program.
Their collaboration is in response to President Marcos Jr.’s directive to craft new guidelines for the conditional implementation of AKAP this year.
In a statement on Sunday, Jan. 5, Gatchalian explained that the new intake form is designed in response to the President’s line-item veto message regarding AKAP, which “intends to address the significant strain of inflation to the financial capacity of those who earn less than minimum wage.”
“In the case of the social welfare intake, it will show whether the client is truly affected by the effects of inflation and rising prices,” Gatchalian said as he outlined plans to streamline information gathering for eligible clients.
While DSWD social workers have always been thorough in screening beneficiaries through intake forms, interviews, and document vetting, the new form will streamline the process and ensure that only those truly impacted by inflation are eligible for assistance.
An important aspect of the new guidelines will be a cap on the number of household members who can benefit from AKAP, reducing the risk of duplication.
In addition, the guidelines will specify that the program is insulated from political influence and adhere to the DSWD’s overarching policies to protect all government programs from politicization.
The guidelines will also address the consequences of fraudulent activities, including document falsification and the misallocation of disbursed assistance.
Though referrals for potential AKAP beneficiaries will remain a part of the process, Gatchalian pointed out that these referrals will still undergo the social workers' thorough assessment and vetting.
“Anybody can refer, but it is the social workers’ assessment and the results of interviews that will ultimately determine eligibility,” he said.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/19/dswd-s-akap-assistance