Calls to stop AKAP rejected by Palace

Implementation of the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program will continue because many Filipinos depend on it, Malacañang said yesterday, amid concerns that some politicians are using AKAP to get votes in the coming elections.

- By HELEN FLORES

"It's hard to stop giving aid to the people. They also rely on that," Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

Several groups have filed a petition before the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of AKAP under the 2025 national budget.

The petitioners, which include 1Sambayan Coalition, Sanlakas and Advocates for National Interest, argued that AKAP has the "badges of a congressional pork barrel" that legislators control.

The Makabayan bloc has criticized the program, saying it was designed to enable vote buying ahead of the May polls.

"The administration will not be able to stop this immediately as some of our countrymen will probably suffer, especially if they are used to receiving this kind of aid to meet their daily needs," Castro said.

The Palace press officer made the statement as a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed the country's hunger rate reaching its highest level since the ČOVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

Citing the SWS poll, Castro stressed the need to continue the AKAP to address hunger.

"The survey says that the hunger rate is allegedly increasing even though we have many I programs," Castro said.

The PCO official said the administration would look into the SWS survey to find out which areas have posted rising hunger incidence. "If there are any shortcomings, we can alleviate these types of situations," she said.

TRO on budget

Meanwhile, the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), the Freedom from Debt Coalition and Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) filed a petition for a TRO with the Supreme Court on the implementation of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).