Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian is appealing to the House of Representatives to consider augmenting the budget for protective services, which covers two prominent "ayuda (aid)" programs. (Video courtesy of House of Representatives)
00:00Very quickly, Mr. Chair, is it right that there has been a reduction in the funds for the program on protective services for individuals and families?
00:10That's correct, Mr. Chair. The good congressman rightfully pointed out,
00:15dahil mawawala ho yung ACAP, dati nandun sa protective services yun, malaking kawalan ho yun.
00:19And then, the budget for AICS also, or the assistance to individuals in crisis situation na bawasan nito.
00:25So, put together, we're looking at close to around $50 billion worth of reductions.
00:32I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but to be able to better explain it,
00:37if the Good Committee will allow me to flash the cart that I wanted to show a while ago?
00:41Yes, please, Secretary.
00:42Can you put that up?
00:44And maybe if the Good Secretary can also explain what will be the effect of this reduction,
00:51and as well as the alternative, if ever there are families or individuals who have a need of this program?
00:59Thank you, Mr. Chair.
01:01Can we flash the slide?
01:04So, if you can see, Mr. Chair, we put together the slide that shows AICS and its sister program, ACAP.
01:12For 2026, because of the reduced AICS budget, the target has been reduced from around $6 million to $3.6 million.
01:26So, ang ma-underserved natin for next year projected if the NEP is to be followed.
01:31For AICS alone, 2.978543 individuals is endangered of losing their AICS social welfare.
01:42So, pag may kailangan sila, dito, itong numero na to yung matidisplace.
01:48Now, because ACAP has been deleted from the NEP,
01:51we're looking at another 4 million clients na sa kasalukuyan natutulungan ng programa,
01:57pero mawawala na rin ho.
01:58So, if you look at the right-handmost slide,
02:03and if I can direct you to the projected service gap,
02:06that's 2.9 or 3 million for AICS,
02:11and then another 4 million for ACAP.
02:14So, we're looking at around 7 million individuals
02:17who may not be able to help receive social welfare in their crisis situation.
02:25Now, that's the first part of it,
02:27and it's a bit alarming,
02:28and I'm very thankful for the committee for asking us about this.
02:33Now, the alternative thereof,
02:35I leave it to our policymakers.
02:38But again, there is a notion in the department
02:40that we merge the program consolidated into the AICS
02:45to make sure that people do not lose their service or their social welfare.
02:51But again, I put it on the table for our policymakers
02:54that even AICS itself has been reduced.
02:57So, sana ho,
02:59ma-reconsider ng ating mababang kapulungan
03:02yung dilema ng departamento
03:04na may mahigit 7 million tayong Pilipino,
03:09pamilyang Pilipino,
03:10na maaaring hindi matulungan
03:11kung hindi natin i-re-restore
03:13o dagdagan ang provision para sa AICS.
03:17So, it is possible that we expand,
03:20with the help of the department,
03:21we expand the menu for AICS?
03:25Yes, Mr. Chair.
03:26That is something that we can do.
03:28Pero if we expand it,
03:29nang hindi natin daddagan yung line item allocation for AICS,
03:34then we might be cannibalizing
03:36the AICS allocation even faster
03:39than what it is right now.
03:41Do we have like a data or information
03:45on the impact and effect of the AICS program
03:48to our constituents?
03:50Because just like 4P's,
03:53I believe the Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies,
03:56they already have a study.
03:58So, maybe it will be considered by the department
04:00to make a study as well
04:02to help policymakers.
04:04Madam Chair,
04:06early on,
04:08I think I even mentioned it in the last budget hearing,
Be the first to comment