DSWD to revise AKAP guidelines

THE form required to determine eligibility for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) will be modified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE). DSWD Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian said on Monday the new form will take into account President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s line item veto message on AKAP, which "intends to address the significant strain of inflation on the financial capacity of those who earn less than the minimum wage." "In case of the social welfare intake, the form will indicate if the beneficiary is affected by the effects of inflation," Gatchalian said. He said DSWD social workers have always exercised diligence when screening beneficiaries through intake forms and interviews. One of the significant features of the guidelines was a limit on the number of eligible household members in order to avoid aid duplication. The revised AKAP guidelines will make it clear that the program is free from politics, aligning with the DSWD's overarching guidelines and existing policies. The guidelines are also meant to reduce instances of fraud, such as forging documents and beneficiary lists, and cutting disbursed assistance. Gatchalian said recommended clients and documents are still subject to social workers' assessments and DSWD screening. "Anybody can refer, however, at the end of the day, the social workers and the outcome of interviews and assessments are the deciding factors," he said.