Workers earning no more than P23,000 monthly to get P5,000 aid – House

Workers with a monthly salary of PHP 23,000 or less will receive a one-time financial aid of PHP 5,000 under the Ayuda sa Kapos sa Kita Program (AKAP), as announced by Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy Co and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. This initiative was revealed following the bicameral committee’s approval of the proposed 2024 national budget, which includes a PHP 60 billion allocation for AKAP, aimed at assisting approximately 12 million households.

Elizaldy Co, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, explained that AKAP aims to combat inflation by providing near-poor workers with means to purchase goods. This social aid program targets various workers including construction workers, drivers, and factory workers.

The funding for AKAP will be part of the locally-funded projects by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. House Speaker Romualdez emphasized the project’s significance, noting its extension beyond marginalized sectors already covered by the government’s conditional cash transfer program.

Romualdez also highlighted the 2024 budget’s focus on fighting inflation and supporting the poor, expanding its reach to include the near-poor. The budget, awaiting the president’s signature after ratification by the House and the Senate, aligns with the administration’s focus on health, infrastructure, and food security.

In addition to regular budget items, Co proudly mentioned three legacy projects hoped to be fulfilled through the budget under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Speaker Romualdez. These projects are Legacy Food Security, Legacy Specialty Hospitals, and Legacy Housing for the Poor.