House adds P292.2 B to social services

A four-person team tasked by Speaker Martin Romualdez to introduce amendments to the P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget has allocated an additional P292.2 billion for social services and food security.

- By DELON PORCALLA

"The additional funding is crucial for supporting those in need. We're providing assistance to struggling families, especially during these challenging times," House appropriations committee chairman Rep. Zaldy Co said.

In a statement, the panel chairman stressed the additional funding aims to address the pressing needs of vulnerable sectors, including financially challenged students, farmers, fisherfolk, soldiers, indigent families and those who barely passed the poverty threshold.

The Ako Bicol party-list representative said the "new funding" of P292.2 billion is on top of the P591.8 billion already set aside by the Department of Budget and Management for cash assistance to impoverished families.

Among the key enhancements in the 2025 General Appropriations Bill include the extra P39.8 billion for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) designed to offer immediate support to those facing financial hardships.

Due to the wide acceptance and public clamor for the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), the House earmarked another P39.8 billion for cash assistance targeting those who earn P21,000 and below per month.

The amount is three times bigger than the actual 2024 allocation of P13 billion.

Co said AKAP is designed for the "near poor" or "lower middle class" segment of the population, including minimum wage earners vulnerable to economic shocks like the sudden death of the household head, sickness, loss of jobs or runaway inflation that can easily send them back to poverty.

At the same time, the House allocated P3.4 billion for the Sustainable Livelihood Program for low-income families.

"We believe that empowering individuals through livelihood programs will help break the cycle of poverty," Co added.