The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to implement stricter guidelines for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which includes publicly posting the recipients by province to ensure transparency and prevent political exploitation.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao on Thursday, March 20 explained that the revised guidelines will help guarantee the responsible use of taxpayers’ money and prevent the program from being used for political purposes during the campaign period.
“Doon sa Joint Memorandum Circular na inilabas hinggil sa implementasyon ng AKAP, nakasaad na ang DSWD ay magpa-publish regularly ng benepisyaryo ng AKAP. Ito ay limited po doon sa province, names of the recipients (In the Joint Memorandum Circular released regarding the implementation of AKAP, it states that the DSWD will regularly publish the names of AKAP beneficiaries. This will be limited to the province and the names of the recipients),” Dumlao said in a media forum.
To protect the confidentiality and security of beneficiaries’ personal information, Dumlao said any additional details, such as the amount of assistance or the specific address of the recipient, can only be provided upon formal request and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act.
No political materials at payouts
Dumlao explained that the revised guidelines also include a ban on campaign materials, political involvement, and local officials’ presence during AKAP payouts.
“Naidagdag sa general provisions na dapat ay walang campaign materials, presence ng local officials, ng political actors sa isinasagawa nating payout activities (It has been added to the general provisions that there should be no campaign materials, no presence of local officials, or political actors during our payout activities),” she said.
Dumlao added that a more rigorous validation process has been introduced to ensure that only those truly in need of assistance are selected.
“There is an intake sheet that will be used to really assess and determine kung walang ibang support systems, walang ibang resources yung ating mga beneficiaries kung kaya sila ay talagang nangangailangan ng tulong (There is an intake sheet that will be used to properly assess and determine if our beneficiaries have no other support systems or resources, and if they truly need assistance),” she said.
She also pointed out that the grievance mechanism for monitoring the program has also been strengthened.
The new set of guidelines, developed jointly by the National Economic Development Authority, Department of Labor and Employment, and DSWD, was submitted to the Commission on Elections on March 4.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/19/dswd-s-akap-assistance