MANILA, Philippines — An additional P5 billion to support Filipinos recovering from crisis situations and natural disasters has been released by the Department of Budget and Management.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the budget release to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program provides financial aid for transportation, medical, burial, food and other support services.
“We cannot deny the severe impact of the climate crisis here in the Philippines,” Pangandaman said.
“Through this, we are sustaining support for vulnerable and marginalized communities. We are bridging the resource gap required for extensive disaster recovery and sustained support throughout the nation,” she noted.
Serving as a social safety net or stop-gap measure to support the recovery of people and families suffering from unexpected life events or crises, the AICS program aims to complement the government’s social amelioration programs and sustain the basic needs of families affected by health and socioeconomic disruptions.
The program started in 2014.
Target beneficiaries are families or people who are indigent, vulnerable, disadvantaged or in a crisis situation, based on the DSWD’s assessment.
As of September, the AICS program assisted more than 6.84 million people, including 4.11 million female and 2.73 million male beneficiaries.
Most of the aid was allocated to food support (38.9 percent), medical aid (19.4 percent), psychosocial services (18.2 percent) and cash relief (14 percent).
The additional funds’ release aligns with the special provisions of the 2024 General Appropriations Act regarding the utilization of unprogrammed appropriations.
These provisions allow the allocation of funds for essential infrastructure and social programs, such as financial aid for indigent citizens, provided there is surplus or newly generated revenue collections.