Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian reiterated on Friday that the agency is the sole implementer of the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).

Gatchalian made the remark after the bicameral conference committee of Congress restored the budget allocated for the program.

Some critics are implicating Tingog party-list in the disbursement of AKAP funds.

“Iyong buong amount na PHP26 billion, lahat ‘yan ay DSWD ang magpapatupad. Hindi po ang mga pulitiko, hindi po ang mga public servants natin. Pondo ‘yan ng DSWD. Lahat yan ay dadaan sa masusing pag-aaral, bawat sentimo, ng social workers natin (The entire amount of PHP26 billion, all of that, the DSWD will implement, not the politicians, not our public servants. Those are DSWD funds. All of that will pass through a serious study, every cent, by our social workers),” Gatchalian said during an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.

Gatchalian said AKAP’s potential beneficiaries are assessed individually by social workers of the DSWD before receiving any cash aid.

“Tulad ng ipinaliwanag ko kanina (Like what I said a while ago), everything goes to a social worker’s case intake. Iniisa-isa nila yan (They checked them one-by-one),” he said.

He said AKAP is different from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the DSWD flagship poverty alleviation program, in terms of beneficiaries and program objectives.

“Ang AKAP ay ibinibigay kapag may pangangailangan, hindi ‘yung katulad ng 4Ps na regular na natatanggap dahil kailangan ka naming i-ahon sa kahirapan (AKAP is given when there is a need, unlike 4Ps that recipients regularly received because we want to help get out of poverty),” he said.

“Ang 4Ps ay para sa mga no income. Ang beneficiaries natin sa 4Ps ay the poorest of the poor. Pangalawa, ang 4Ps ay recurring, buwan-buwan at may conditions (The 4Ps are for those with no income. Our beneficiaries in 4Ps are the poorest of the poor. Second, the 4Ps is recurring, monthly and with conditions),” he added.

The AKAP, on the other hand, provides one-time cash assistance to eligible beneficiaries whose income falls below the poverty threshold. (PNA)