DSWD appeals to Senate to restore AICS budget to P63.9 billion
Government employees hand out cups of drinking water as people fall in line at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) central office in Quezon City on August 20, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday appealed to the Senate to restore the budget of its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program to its 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) level of P63.9 billion.The funding for the social assistance program was slashed to P33.3 billion in the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The DSWD briefed the Senate Subcommittee on Finance on its proposed 2027 budget on Wednesday.
Senator Erwin Tulfo asked how the agency would respond to possible disasters and other emergencies, given the anticipated El Niño phenomenon.
“Inanticipate natin po ‘yung El Niño. Pero papano kung may mga darating pa na mga delubyo at baka magkakaroon pa po ng giyera?” Tulfo asked.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency was concerned that the remaining funds would not be enough to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
“Nangangamba kami na ‘yung natira na AICS eh maaaring hindi sasapat kaya dumudulog ho kami na sana ibalik man lang to the minimum sa GAA level,” Gatchalian said.
“Kung pwede ho, dagdagan pa beyond the GAA level because of the anticipated inflation effects na tuloy-tuloy, ‘yung El Niño na not just the farmers but the prices of goods and food, and food actually, baka tumaas rin. And then, meron pa ‘yung sunod-sunod na mga regular na mga pangangailangan, talagang kukulangin po,” he added.
Senator JV Ejercito, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, asked how the DSWD would ensure that AICS would not be used for political patronage, especially with the 2028 elections approaching.
Gatchalian said beneficiaries may be referred to the agency by different individuals and groups, but social workers ultimately determine their eligibility and the amount of assistance they receive.
“At the end of the day, ‘yung social worker does the intake eh. Nobody can dictate to them kung qualified or not qualified at kung magkano ang ibibigay,” he said. “Our social workers are licensed professionals and with a lot of them getting regularized pa, we know for a fact that they can withstand ‘yung mga pressures.”
Gatchalian also cited a case in Iloilo involving alleged irregularities by some barangay officials, saying the DSWD filed cases against those involved.
“In Iloilo this was all over the news na sindikato ng certain, hindi naman lahat, certain barangay officials. When the news got to us, sinampahan talaga namin ng kaso tong mga to to prove the point,” he added.
The DSWD chief said social workers also inform beneficiaries that the financial assistance is theirs and that they may anonymously report irregularities through the agency’s grievance mechanism.
Ejercito and Senator Imee Marcos also questioned the DSWD regarding the Commission on Audit (COA) report on AICS in 2025.
“May duplicate, multiple, overlapping AICS sa COA report ninyo na halos 400 million din,” Marcos said.
Gatchalian denied that the assistance involved duplicates, explaining that beneficiaries may receive aid for different needs, provided these comply with the agency’s guidelines.
“Pinaliliwanag namin sa guidelines as long as it’s not the same item. For instance nagkasakit, so binigyan natin ng medical. Eh namatayan, so we give them burial naman. As long as it’s not the same item that they availed of then that should be allowed in our guidelines,” he said.
He also addressed concerns about beneficiaries receiving assistance more than once, saying the agency allows repeat applications as long as they remain within the prescribed limits.
“Ang answer response namin sa COA doon is as long as they don’t breach the max 10,000. So meaning if they got 2,000 first tapos bumalik sila the social worker decides to give another 2,000 as long as they don’t breach and within the three months,” Gatchalian said.