Manila City Administrator Bernie Ang assured city residents that all of Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan’s ongoing social welfare programs are covered by an official exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), allowing the city government to continue providing aid during the election period.

Ang made the clarification after Comelec issued a show cause order to Mayor Lacuna-Pangan, stressing that the mayor has always operated within legal bounds and follows all necessary protocols to ensure transparency and accountability.

“Mayor Honey Lacuna is not in the habit of breaking (the) law. Everything she does is aboveboard, and these programs were initiated in 2022 and have been ongoing since then," Ang said.

Among these initiatives is the Special Amelioration Program (SAP), which offers monthly financial assistance to various sectors, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and students from the Universidad de Manila (UdM) and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).

“Upang maituloy ang mga programang pinakikinabangan ng mga mamamayan ng Maynila, humingi ng 'exemption' ang pamahalaang-lungsod sa Comelec (In order to continue the programs that benefit the people of Manila, the city government sought an exemption from the Comelec)," he explained.

He added that this step follows a directive from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which advises local government units to request permission from Comelec for the continuation of public aid during the election season.

Ang recalled that in 2022, a similar issue arose when monthly financial assistance had to be suspended temporarily after a political opponent questioned the legality of the aid.

At the time, Lacuna-Pangan—then the vice mayor—was managing the city’s operations while then-Mayor Isko Moreno Domegoso was campaigning for the national office.

To avoid a repeat of that situation, Ang said he wrote to Comelec seeking clarification and formal approval for the continuation of the SAP and other financial aid programs.

In his letter, Ang emphasized that the city was not launching new initiatives during the election period but is simply continuing long-established programs.

“Dahil sa pangyayaring ito noong 2022 kung kaya’t ngayon ay tiniyak ng administrasyong Lacuna na mag-apply muna ng exemption bago itinuloy ang mga nasabing programang dati nang pinakikinabangan ng mga taga-Maynila (Because of what happened in 2022, the Lacuna administration made sure to apply for an exemption before continuing these programs that residents have long benefited from)," Ang also said.

Comelec Election Officer IV Atty. Gregorio Bonifacio responded to the city’s request, stating that the continuation of aid distribution is allowed so long as it does not fall under the prohibitions outlined in Resolution 10747, which governs fund disbursements during the election period.

According to the resolution, a certificate of exemption is required for social welfare activities to proceed.

The Office of the Senior Citizens’ Affairs also sought legal guidance, and the City Legal Office affirmed that the financial aid qualifies as “routine and normal expenses,” meaning the benefits are not considered part of prohibited election activities.

“Ibig sabihin, ito ay nakagawian na at normal na gastusin ng lungsod at hindi ito kagaya ng pamimigay ng pera sa public teachers o pamimigay ng goods na ngayon lang nagaganap sa panahon ng kampanya (This means these are long-standing, routine city expenses—not like handing out money to public teachers or distributing goods that only happen during campaign season)," Ang noted.

Ang also reiterated that the city government remains committed to legally providing essential services such as free medicine, healthcare, education, job opportunities, and aid for victims of fires and calamities.

“Mayor Honey is focused on service, not politics,” he said.