The Department of Social Welfare and Development rejected Friday allegations that P26 billion (approximately US$445 million) in Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) funds is a form of pork barrel.

Speaking to TeleRadyo Serbisyo, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the P26 billion AKAP funds do not go to lawmakers but to the department.

“‘Yung buong amount na P26 billion, lahat ‘yan DSWD ang magpapatupad. Hindi pulitiko o public servants. Hindi ‘yan matatawag na pork barrel o pondo ng kahit sino. Pondo ‘yan ng DSWD,” he said.

AKAP, a financial assistance program to help minimum-wage earners not covered by other DSWD programs cope with inflation, has proven to be controversial after Sen. Imee Marcos said the fund was an insertion that was not included in President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s proposed spending plan.

Senator Marcos, who recommended deletion of the AKAP allocation, said funding for AKAP was included in the House version of the 2025 budget bill.

Senate panel recommends deletion of House-AKAP from 2025 budget

"Sabi ko, 'maliwanag naman, hindi na ito prayoridad ng gobyerno. Hindi naman plano ng Pangulo. Hindi rin naman plano ng DSWD. Bakit biglang may P39 billion na bumubukol dito?'" Marcos said in an interview.

Sen. Marcos: AKAP financial aid program not an admin priority

Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, said some politicians have been using the agency’s AKAP and AICS cash assistance programs to "buy" votes, a charge which Gatchalian denies.

DSWD chief Gatchalian denies VP Duterte’s claim AICS, AKAP used to buy votes

In the interview, Gatchalian said his agency had previously recommended that a cash aid program be set up to help low wage earners to deal with rising inflation. This is separate from the 4Ps conditional cash transfer program, which gives fixed cash assistance to the “poorest of the poor” every month.

“Ang AKAP, kapag nagpunta ka sa aming tanggapan o kaya sa aming offsite payout, meron kasi kaming…minsan masyadong malayo ang lugar, maraming nangangailangan ng tulong, imbes na sila ang pupunta sa amin, kami ang pupunta sa kanila. Binibigay ‘yan pag may pangangailangan. Hindi ‘yung tulad ng 4Ps na regular na nakakatanggap dahil kailangan ka namin iahon sa kahirapan,” he said.

AKAP beneficiaries can receive P2,000-P10,000, with a holdout period of 3 months, he said.

Gatchalian denied that politicians can influence who can receive AKAP funds, saying all recommendations are screened by social workers.

“Lahat ng programa dumadaan sa pagsusuri ng mga social worker. Hindi porket binigay sa amin ‘yung papel at sasabihin ng mga pulitiko na tulungan mo ‘yan ay tutulungan na. Call pa rin ng social worker kung bibigyan at kung magkano. Masisira ang pulitiko kapag sinabi niyang sagot ko ito tapos sasabihin ng social worker wala sa listahan ng mga pangangailangan, hindi namin bibigyan,” he said.

He added: “Walang nagbabawal na mag-refer whether you are a politician or in media…pero hindi ibig sabihin mabibigyan yun ng tulong. No one can promise in behalf of DSWD.”

Gatchalian said politicians will not be allowed to be present during the distribution of AKAP aid.

He said DSWD will seek exemption from the Commission on Elections to continue to release AKAP benefits during the election period.

For his part, Comelec Chairman George Garcia noted that it is usually the departments that seek exemptions from the Comelec ban.

“Ang lahat ng social services pagdating ng campaign period ay bawal pero subject sa paghingi ng exemption sa komisyon. Magsisimulang ipagbawal, 45 days bago magsimula ang eleksyon,” he said.

“Pagnagbigay ng exemption, naglalagay kami ng limitasyon o guidelines sa pagdistribute,” he added.