The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) welcomed the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision to exempt 28 agency programs and services from the spending ban in connection with the 2025 midterm elections in May.
Covered in the said exception are the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), among other state-funded initiatives.
“The exemption ensures the continuous delivery of our programs and services to address the needs of poor, vulnerable, and marginalized Filipinos during the election period,” said DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao on Thursday.
Dumlao made the statement after the poll body issued a memorandum on Wednesday exempting 28 programs of the DSWD from Section 261 (v) [Prohibition against release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds] of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
Also covered by the Comelec ruling are the following:
- Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
- Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)·
- Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)·
- Services for Residential and Center-based Clients·
- Supplementary Feeding Program·
- Pag-Abot Program·
- Walang Gutom Program·
- Tara Basa! Tutoring Program
“We thank the Comelec for approving our request without striking out any item. We assure the Commission and the public that mechanisms are in place to ensure that our programs will not be used for political partisan activities,” Dumlao said.
Section 261 (v) of the OEC prohibits the DSWD and other agencies from releasing, disbursing, or expending any public funds 45 days before a regular election and 30 days before a special election.
The Comelec has been setting expenditure ceilings for politicians during an election year to curb instances of vote-buying and other corruption related activities that may unduly influence the outcome of elections.
