With a P63.8-billion budget this year, the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program will serve the 3.9 million clients of the now-defunded Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said over the weekend.
DSWD Crisis Intervention Program director Edwin Morata said in a Facebook post that there is sufficient funding under AICS to accommodate former AKAP beneficiaries, including the issuance of guarantee letters for qualified clients.
“These 3.9 million people will be part of AICS this year. They are all undergoing a crisis, such as needing medicines or hospitalization. If they are removed, they may feel they have nowhere else to go, but AICS remains available,” Morata said in a radio interview.
AKAP was implemented as a 2-year program in 2024 and assisted 3.9 million Filipinos in 2025 alone, disbursing ₱24 billion nationwide for medical, burial, transportation, and food assistance, as well as guarantee letters.
Morata said integrating AKAP beneficiaries into AICS ensures aid is properly targeted, noting that past cash assistance was sometimes not used for its intended purpose.
He added that AICS has expanded partnerships with hospitals, pharmacies, therapy centers, supermarkets, and transport firms, with strict non-partisanship enforced in issuing guarantee letters.
