00:00While the DSWD's spending for this year was slashed by nearly 5 percent or 10.8 billion,
00:06its proposed budget for 2026 has a markup of close to 3.5 percent or 7.5 billion.
00:12This amount assures continued financing for the agency's four major assistance and relief programs.
00:18The four Ps, Sustainable Livelihood, Walanggutom, and the Quick Response Fund programs.
00:23Sadly, the ACAP and AICS programs have been zilched for funding in 2026 as our Mela Les Moras reports.
00:34During today's deliberation of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD for 2026,
00:45DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian called for additional funds for their assistance to individuals in crisis situation or AICS program.
00:53According to the Secretary, the allocation for AICS has decreased under the 2026 National Expenditure Program,
01:00which coincides with the zero funding of the Ayuda para sa Kaposang Kita Program or ACAP.
01:06With this, the department stands to lose around 50 billion pesos.
01:10We're looking at around 7 million individuals who may not be able to help receive social welfare in their crisis situation.
01:21Sana ho ma-reconsider ng ating mababang kapulungan yung dilema ng departamento.
01:27The lawmakers assured that they will study this matter.
01:30For 2026, the total budget proposal of the DSWD is more than 223.2 billion pesos.
01:38According to Secretary Gatchalian, among the agency's main programs that need to be funded with this budget are the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps,
01:46Sustainable Livelihood Program, Walang Gutom Program, and Quick Response Fund, which are usually used during disasters or calamities.
01:55The President wanted, Mr. Chair, to make sure na omnipresent ang DSWD.
01:59Hindi pa ho tumatama yung kalamidad, dapat nandun na ho kami.
02:02To further enhance the services of the DSWD, the agency assured that their efforts toward digitalization continues.
02:09In fact, many of their programs now are being modernized.
02:14New programs like Walang Gutom is no longer manual.
02:18They have electronic benefit cards where the food credits are loaded.
02:21Mr. Chair, we've also embarked on using e-wallets for our 4Ps beneficiaries through the e-Panalo program, working with GCash and Globe.
02:28Regarding its manpower, the DSWD will also launch the DSWD Academy before the end of the year.
02:34We are coming up with the DSWD Academy. It's a facility in Taguig that's about to open the end of the year.
02:41It's part of our capacity building.
02:43So one of the things that we want to push is kung walang social worker, we will now start working with social welfare assistants.
02:50So what we had in mind was to empower them na pag nag-train sila sa academy namin, yung signature nila should be accepted for certain issues.
02:59Mela Lesmoraz from the National TV Network for New and Better Philippines.
