MANILA— Senatorial aspirant and AGRI Party-List Representative Wilbert Lee called the controversial "Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program" (AKAP) as a form of “pork barrel” despite the assurance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that it is not. 

Lee made the statement in ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Friday. 

Through AKAP, the government aims to help minimum wage earners affected by inflation. It was not in the original DSWD budget proposal for 2025, however, and was inserted by the House of Representatives. 

AKAP was deleted by the Senate in its version of the 2025 proposed budget, but was still inserted by the bicameral conference committee. 

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. later signed the budget and allocated P26 billion for AKAP which was originally P39 billion. 

Although Lee described AKAP as pork barrel, he said it is still needed. 

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“Pork barrel, pero sa akin, panandalian, para lang makatawid. Hindi ako naniniwala na long term ito. Kailangan sa ngayon, kung kinakailangan, para lang makatawid sa nangyayari ngayon, sa taas ng bilhin, para lang makatulong sa ating mga kababayan, sang-ayon ako diyan. Pero hindi po long term,” he explained. 

Lee stressed that AKAP and other ayuda programs should not go through politicians. This would eliminate unnecessary intermediaries and prevent the public from feeling like they have to beg for government assistance.

“Para sa akin, hindi lang po AKAP, MAIP (Medical assistance for Indigent Patients), lahat po ng mga ito dapat diretso sa institusyon. Yan po ang pinaglalaban ko. Nasabi ko na sa napakaraming interview, bakit kailangan idaan sa mga politiko? Diretso na sa institusyon,” Lee said. 

“Karapatan po ng bawat Pilipino yan, tulungan ang wala ng gobyerno, sagot dapat ng gobyerno,” he added.  

 ICC, DIVORCE, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Lee also weighed in on the issue of former President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody War on Drugs and if the latter should face the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Sa akin, kailangan dito niya sagutin sa atin. Kung may kasalanan, mayroon pong dapat panagutan, dito po sa atin dapat magsimula. Dito, i-file,” Lee remarked.

Lee, meanwhile, said he is opposed to legalizing divorce in the Philippines.

“Hindi po parang kanin na sinusubo ang kasal. Para sa akin, dapat po palawakin at gawing accessible ang annulment,” Lee said. 

He proposed reform that would make annulment procedures simpler and more accessible, potentially through a quasi-judicial process, where couples would not need to go through an arduous legal battle.

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Lee also mentioned some of his legislative priorities. He stressed the need to balance wage increases with policies aimed at reducing the cost of living for ordinary Filipinos.

“Ang aking tutok lagi bilang dating negosyante -- suweldo, yes support lang tayo. Kailangan balanse, tignan din ano yung kayang ibaba, ano yung kayang sagutin ng gobyerno,” Lee explained.

A key part of his platform is improving the Universal Health Care Law, which Lee believes needs to be amended to better serve the Filipino people.