The Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), the assistance program for minimum-wage earners that stirred some controversy over its P26-billion allocation in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, has been given zero budget in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

Instead, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. said the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the government’s flagship conditional cash transfer program for the poorest of the poor, has been allocated almost P113 billion, while the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program has been allocated P11 billion.

Marcos said the allocation for 4Ps would provide various financial and social assistance that would improve the quality of life of 4,400,000 marginalized household beneficiaries.

The said amount shall cover cash grants, rice subsidy, Enhanced Support Services Intervention (ESSI) grants, and cash grants for the first 1,000-day health monitoring during pregnancy until the child has turned two years old.

The beneficiaries who comply with program conditions shall continue to receive educational and health grants, including the ESSI grants, as well as other social protection programs, such as, but not limited to, livelihood assistance and health services through PhilHealth.

TUPAD is meant to provide emergency short-term employment for workers affected by economic displacement, disasters, and seasonality.

While the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) has been proposed to receive P2.2 billion.

The DILP is seen to provide start-up capital, training, and equipment to individuals and groups who would like to establish microenterprises.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development defines AKAP as a financial assistance program designed for minimum-wage and low-income earners.

The program provides various forms of aid, including food, medical, funeral, cash relief, and rice assistance.

There is no allocation for the AKAP in the budget of the DSWD. There are still some funds left from 2025, and like I mentioned a while ago, we received a total of P10 trillion proposal from agencies, and given our limited fiscal space, we didn’t include it at this time.

To recall, there was also no allocation for AKAP under the 2025 NEP submitted by the Department of Budget and Management.

The House of Representatives, however, allotted P39 billion for AKAP under its version of the General Appropriations Bill.

This was then deleted entirely under the Senate’s versions.

During the bicam, the AKAP still received an allocation of about P26 billion under the final version of the GAB.

The so-called budget “insertion” for AKAP was among the criticisms of the 2025 GAA.

In approving the 2025 national budget, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. placed AKAP under “conditional implementation.”