THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should publish the list of beneficiaries of a multibillion-peso financial assistance program for minimum wage earners affected by rising prices before distributing the aid amid concerns of potential misuse, according to a former Philippine Supreme Court justice.
“Publishing the name, the amount of the tax money that was given and the name of the person who recommended it — there’s nothing confidential about that,” retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio told a Senate hearing looking into the agency’s aid initiative for workers whose income falls below the poverty threshold.
“These are public funds,” the former magistrate said. “The Constitution says there is a right to information by the people on matters of public concern and of course, the number one concern of the public is how their tax money is disbursed.”
Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian in December dispelled criticisms that the program is a form of pork barrel that could be an avenue for corruption, noting that funds for the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) go the agency and not to lawmakers.
Congress has appropriated P26 billion for the program this year, but President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed it under conditional implementation when he signed the P6.326-trillion budget for 2025.
This means the budget will only be released “after clear guidelines are put in place to ensure proper use of the funds,” according to the Budget department.
Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin earlier said the DSWD would implement strict guidelines on the AKAP program, which provides a one-time cash assistance of as much as P5,000 for workers under the poverty threshold.
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said last month the guidelines would define beneficiaries as those whose incomes fall below the regional minimum wage. She added that there would be no “middle man” because DSWD social workers would be present during the distribution of aid.
She said the National Economic and Development Authority would monitor and evaluate the program with the Philippine Statistics Authority. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
