A long line of people stretching from Chuatoco Street to Roces Avenue is seen outside the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City, Friday, September 20, 2024 as people from indigent families from District 4, Bgy. Tatalon and Roxas District in Quezon City queue for financial assistance. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The executive branch is working to ensure that the implementation of the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) will be “well-targeted” and “transparent,” an socioeconomic official said on Monday, hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. placed the funding for the program under conditional implementation.

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AKAP funds will be placed under conditional implementation to “ensure that the people’s funds are utilized in accordance with their authorized and stated purpose,” the President earlier said in his speech in Malacañang.

“Gusto natin masiguro na well-targeted siya at magiging transparent yung delivery noong programang iyon… na magkakaroon ng greater accountability,” said, Rosemarie Edillon, undersecretary at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“Ikla-klaro natin kung ano ang magiging conditions, ano ang mga requirements na kailangang ipakita, pruweba na nakuha nila yung benepisyo na yun,” she told state television PTV.

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According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, this means that a condition to the release of funds for AKAP would be the issuance of the program’s guidelines from the DSWD, DOLE and NEDA  

“Para maging consistent iyong pagbibigay ng AKAP doon po sa gusto nating mangyari doon sa tamang recipients, hindi po magkadoble-doble iyong binibigay natin na mga cash assistance,” the official explained.

Vice President Sara Duterte earlier accused congressmen of using AKAP and other aid programs to sway voters ahead of the 2025 national elections.

The controversy further grew after the bicameral conference committee decided to include last-minute insertions in the 2025 budget, including AKAP funds that would be under the discretion of both the House and the Senate.

“Nakita natin na buo ang resolve ng pamahalaan… just to make sure na mayroon tayong mapasa na budget,” Edillon said.

“Yung mga ginawang pagrepaso sa budget, binusisi talaga, tiningnan talaga kung aligned ba talaga sa priorities… implementation ready ba ito,” she said. 

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin meanwhile allayed concerns on politician’s possible intervention on the implementation of the AKAP Program. 

This, amid criticisms that the program is a form of pork barrel.

“Don't be naive. Always sa life natin dito sa Philippines, there must be somebody to initiate. That is the thinking about this. We must be broad minded about it,” Bersamin told reporters.

Bersamin also said that there are ways to ensure that the AKAP funds will not be used for patronage politics.

“We can check that. That is why people who notice that, they can complain then we will go to investigate. We cannot just... Our law presumes good faith in everyone. All actions in good faith. Kung may bad faith, that is where you come now, kayong media or kayong mga tao na aggrieved,” he said.

Aside from AKAP, other Special Provisions under conditional implementation include:

• Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Program

• Basic Infrastructure Program

• Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects

• Office of the Ombudsman's Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions, along with the Release of Payment of Retirement Benefits and Pensions

• Judiciary-Supreme Court's Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses of the Lower Courts

• Department of Agriculture-Office of the Secretary's Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund

• Use of Excess Revenue from the Total Annual Tariff Revenue from Rice Importation

• Natural Disaster Risk Reduction and Management's (Calamity Fund) National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program

• Department of Finance-Bureau of Customs' Rewards and Incentives Fund

• Congress of the Philippines' Availability of Appropriations and Cash Allocations

While Marcos Jr. vetoed over P194 billion in line items under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, the NEDA officials assured the public that the administration will continue to “prioritize human development.” 

“Ito yung tinatawag natin na nuanced yung implementation… Malaki pa rin ang importance sa education pero tututok tayo sa quality,” she said. 

“Nandito pa rin po yung pagtutok natin sa health pero nandito yung ieexpand na yung universal health care program na ang gusto talaga kasi matutukan dito yung primary health care,” she said.

“Malaki rin po ang priority na ibibigay sa innovation agenda natin so excited kami sa mga magiging bagong talagang makilala na Filipino-vators (Filipino innovators).”

The government will also launch projects to ensure the resilience of the Philippines’ agriculture sector, Edillon said. 

“Isang malaking problema ng agriculture is masyado siyang vulnerable sa climate shocks,” she said. 

“I-improve natin ang irrigation systems natin para during the times na maraming tubig, masasalo natin ang tubig at during the times na walang tubig ay mabibigay natin yun sa mga farms,” she said.

Among the agriculture projects that the government will prioritize in 2025 are the creation of more post harvest facilities and the upgrade of National Food Administration (NFA) warehouses, she said.

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