The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Sunday (February 23) welcomed the Tugon ng Masa (TNM) nationwide survey by OCTA RESEARCH, which showed that a significant majority of Filipinos, or 69 percent support the continuation and expansion of the agency’s Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP.
DSWD spokesperson, Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, said the OCTA survey also showed that a big majority of Filipinos, or 79 percent, are aware of AKAP and are fully supportive of the agency’s program that is geared at providing cash assistance to low income families who are most affected by the rising prices of commodities.
“The OCTA survey is good news for the DSWD as this validates AKAP as a program that caters to low income individuals and families who are in need of augmentation to meet their daily needs, including food and transportation,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
OCTA RESEARCH is an independent and non-partisan pollster that conducts regular surveys that are non-commissioned.
The OCTA survey fieldwork for AKAP was conducted from January 25-31, 2025, using face-to-face interviews with 1200 male and female respondents aged 18 years and above The survey has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following margins of error at a 95% confidence level: ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Awareness for the AKAP program is notably high across major regions, with the highest levels recorded in the Visayas (88%), followed by Mindanao (85%) and the National Capital Region (81%).
According to OCTA RESEARCH, this suggests that regional communication strategies may have played a role in the program’s visibility.
“Similarly, awareness remains strong across socio-economic classes, ranging from 90% to 78%, indicating that the program has reached diverse income groups. Ensuring awareness efforts continue penetrating all segments of society will be crucial in maximizing the program’s impact and accessibility,” OCTA RESEARCH said in a press statement dated February 23.
On continuing and expanding the DSWD’s AKAP program, most adult Filipinos (69%) support its continuation and expansion, highlighting its perceived effectiveness and relevance.
Across major geographical areas, support levels vary, ranging from 63% to 74%. The highest level of agreement is observed in Balance Luzon (74%), while the lowest is in the Visayas (63%).
These regional differences may indicate variations in program implementation, accessibility, or differing socio-economic needs that should be further explored, according to OCTA RESEARCH.
“Support for the program is consistent across all socio-economic classes (69%), suggesting that AKAP addresses universal concerns that cut across income levels. This widespread approval underscores the program’s broad impact and the necessity of ensuring its long-term sustainability,” the OCTA polling firm said.
The OCTA survey also noted that all adult Filipinos from the MIMAROPA (100%) region agreed to continue expanding the AKAP program, while a majority in other regions expressed agreement except in three regions: Cagayan Valley (16%), CARAGA (42%), and Northern Mindanao (49%).
The polling firm said adult Filipinos who agreed to the continuation and expansion of AKAP are higher in the Urban (72%) areas than in the Rural (66%) areas. It is also higher among females (72%) than males (67%).
“Among educational levels, adult Filipinos who expressed agreement range from 64% to 74%, with the highest percentage recorded from those with no formal education or elementary education and those with vocational education,” the OCTA survey said.#