The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reiterated that the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) targets individuals whose income are below the minimum wage and are reeling from the effects of inflation.
Director Edwin Morata of the Protective Services Bureau-Crisis Intervention Division (PSB-CIU) explained to reporters during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on June 19 that the target beneficiaries of the AKAP is what sets it apart from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
The AICS is open to anyone who is experiencing an extreme crisis situation, regardless of economic status.
From January to June 19, 2025, the DSWD has already served 892,061 below minimum wage earners under AKAP while 5,446,941 individuals experiencing crises have benefited from the AICS nationwide.
“Ang tinatarget natin dito [AKAP] ay earning individuals na kumikita pero ang kita nila ay hindi sapat. So maaaring may source of income sila pero hindi pa din nila kayang itaguyod o itawid ang pangangailangan nila. What makes it different from AICS, sa AICS hindi tinitignan ang economic status nila. Sitwasyon agad ang tinitignan namin. This time, naglagay lang ng determining indicator for AKAP na individual earning below minimum wage,” Director Morata pointed out.
The PSB-CIU official said the AKAP program is focused on those who are earning but are encountering problems such as difficulty in paying house rentals or those facing end-of-contract or ENDO.
“Sila ay earning individuals, below minimum wage earner, and at the same time, may sitwasyong pangangailangan, then AKAP is the right program. Yun ang maganda sa AKAP, it goes beyond not only covering those situations that affect their capacity. Pero nagdagdag kami ng isang category ng assistance, cash assistance, pero ang diperensya ay iba ang target natin. Hindi siya sectoral, yung cash relief. For example, hindi ka nakapagbayad ng renta or bills kasi sa loob ng 20-days ng working, isang linggo siyang absent kasi nagkasakit siya,” Director Morata explained to reporters.
Director Morata emphasized that social workers are still the ones who will determine the type of assistance to be provided based on the documents presented. (GDVF).