EDITORIAL – Politicized ayuda

Officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development have clarified that politicians are not supposed to be involved in the distribution of DSWD aid programs such as the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations or AICS. The prohibition, which applies even outside official election campaign periods, is specified in guidelines to DSWD personnel, the officials said.

Most people will be surprised that there is such a prohibition, especially with Congress now dealing with controversy over the appropriation of P26 billion for AKAP projects of lawmakers in 2025. As announced by the chair of the Senate finance committee, Grace Poe, P21 billion is allocated for members of the House of Representatives and P5 billion for senators.

Public confusion will also stem from the proliferation of photos and video from AKAP and AICS distribution events all over the country, featuring lawmakers and local government executives posing prominently and huge streamers with their faces and images hard to miss at the venues.

If such government VIPs post their self-promoting posters and streamers at ayuda distribution venues, and then go on stage for photo ops to take credit for the dole-out, will DSWD personnel have the nerve to shoo the VIPs off the stage?

During the official election campaign period, it is easier to regulate such practices because these are prohibited for candidates, who may lose their posts if they win and be permanently barred from holding public office. The Commission on Elections receives and acts on complaints for such violations. Such practices, however, are common even before the start of the campaign period.

DSWD officials are hoping for public cooperation in the effort to ensure that its ayuda programs are de-politicized. If the DSWD is sincere in this effort, it must fine-tune its guidelines and processes for reporting such activities by politicians. The public must be fully informed about the steps for reporting politicians who gate-crash DSWD aid distribution events. Penalties must also be set and enforced for those who ignore the guidelines.

Lawmakers, for their part, must explain what they mean exactly by the appropriation of billions in the 2025 national budget for the shares of the Senate and the House in the AKAP. This is contrary to what the DSWD says is the depoliticized nature of its aid program.