Gatchalian defended the AKAP program that will be funded out of the PHP26.7 billion budget that will be administered by the DSWD this year.

The Cabinet official also stressed that the allocated amount remained intact because the DSWD is still in the process of drawing the guidelines that would guarantee smooth distribution of the cash aid to beneficiaries.

At least 12 million near poor Filipinos are targeted beneficiaries of the P5,000 one-time cash assistance from the government.

Gatchalian assured senators that there is no connection between AKAP and the People’s Initiative campaign for Charter change.

At the resumption of the Senate hearing into bribery allegations on the PI, Senator Imee Marcos said she received information that AKAP, together with social aid programs of the DSWD, are being used in luring signatories to the PI petition for Charter change.

Leaders of the Lower House have been linked to the PI signature drive, with senators airing suspicions that AKAP and similar anti-poverty programs are being accessed by congressmen to gain support for the Charter change bid.

Gatchalian said the DSWD views the funding for programs such as AKAP as “welcome” news, adding that the department was already eyeing a similar program then.

He revealed that DSWD officials have already met with Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa of the Philippine Statistics Authority to discuss the program.

“We were already exploring programs that will provide a safety net for those classified as near poor. Undersecretary Mapa briefed us on the value of a near poor program so as to prevent a vicious cycle of minimum wage earners and 4Ps graduates going back to poverty,” Gatchalian stated.