DBM: AKAP not a priority but up to Congress to propose funding

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Friday said it is up to members of Congress to decide whether or not they would propose to fund the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) again next year, as the program received zero allocation under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP). 

Pangandaman, however, maintained that AKAP—an assistance program for minimum-wage earners—is not included in the priority programs of the administration. 

"Basta po sa Executive, doon sa binigay nating proposal, hindi natin naisama sa 2026 NEP 'yung AKAP," she said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(For the Executive, we didn't include AKAP in the 2026 NEP.) 

"So, nasa Congress na po kung gusto nilang idagdag ito ulit. Pero sa amin ay hindi siya kasama sa priority programs," she added.

(So, it is up to Congress if they will propose funding it again. But for us, it is not included in the priority programs.) 

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 (GAB). This was then deleted entirely under the Senate’s version.

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 General Appropriations Act. 

Pangandaman stressed that some P13 billion in undisbursed AKAP allocations remain under the 2025 budget.

"Medyo malaki pa po 'yung natitira. Puwede pang [magamit sa 2026…Two years validity ng budget]," she said.

(A huge amount is still left. This can still be used in 2026 as the budget has a two-year validity.) 

Maybe a veto?

Asked if the DBM would recommend to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to veto should the funding for AKAP still be included in the 2026 budget given the limited fiscal space, Pangandaman said, "Siguro po [maybe]."

"Ang masakit po kasi 'pag nave-veto kunwari ilagay po nila tapos hindi natin priority tapos vineto natin, tapon na po 'yan. Hindi na natin magagamit, sayang…. Bababa na ang level ng budget natin. Sana nilagay na lang natin sa ibang programa na sa tingin natin mas makakatulong," she explained.

(What's disheartening is that if we allocate funds for such, and it gets vetoed by the President because it's not a priority, then the funding will be removed entirely. We will not be able to use it anymore and our budget level will decrease. We could've used that funding for other projects that can be helpful.) 

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, earlier said AKAP funding would be subject to consultation with members of the House of Representatives.

Suansing said AKAP had been quite helpful for the constituents of House members.

She added that the House of Representatives, as part of a bicameral Congress alongside the Senate, has the authority to introduce amendments to the proposed budget, provided that they are in line with the administration's priority programs.

"But again, the House will follow the call of President [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos [Jr.] in making sure that the programs and the projects that we will fund for fiscal year 2026 are aligned with the priorities of the administration," Suansing said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News