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Bicam OKs higher P63.8 billion ‘pork’ aid
A bicameral conference committee has agreed to allocate P63.8 billion for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program in 2026.
This amount is more than double the Malacañang's proposal of P26.9 billion and the House of Representatives' proposed P59.09 billion.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian had sought as much as P70 billion in total funding to accommodate an additional seven million recipients, but fiscal constraints limited Congress's approval.
Senator Imee Marcos expressed concern that AICS, a program prone to political misuse, might be used for political purposes, especially with the upcoming 2026 elections.
Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) has been allotted P51 billion in 2026.
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The House of Representatives has given final approval to a bill that aims to institutionalize the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
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A bicameral conference committee has approved a P51-billion budget for the Department of Health's (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program for 2026.
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