For the first time, nearly PHP500 billion has been set aside for the social amelioration program that will benefit an estimated 48 million Filipinos under the proposed PHP5.768-trillion 2024 national budget, House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.

“For the first time, under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we are allocating half-a-trillion pesos, or about 9 percent of the national budget, as assistance to the poor and households with insufficient income,” Romualdez said in a statement.

“We are hoping that in some way, we are able to support people who badly need government help to get them through hard times.”

He said Congress introduced in the proposed 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) a new program labeled Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP), wherein target beneficiaries would receive a one-time cash assistance of PHP5,000.

“It’s a PHP60 billion fund, whose aim is to provide direct cash assistance to the ‘near poor’ or families earning up to PHP23,000 a month. At least 12 million households will benefit from it, including low-income workers like those in construction and factories, drivers, food service crew, and the like,” he said.

Government programs targeting the “poorest of the poor” will continue to get funding next year with about PHP23 billion allocated for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development and PHP30 billion for the Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) under the Department of Labor and Employment.

He further noted that the President’s “legacy projects” – Legacy Food Security, Legacy Specialty Hospitals, and Legacy Housing for the poor – would also be financed under next year’s spending plan.

For Legacy Food Security, he said PHP5 billion has been allocated to support farmers with free irrigation, seeds, fertilizer, and other farm inputs, while another PHP5 billion is appropriated for the purchase of their produce at market prices.

“By providing much-needed capital and buying their harvest, we will not only create jobs and assure the income of our farmers – we can ensure supply of affordable and high-quality local rice,” he said.

Romualdez said Congress allocated PHP80 billion for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to build more dams, water reservoirs, and solar irrigation systems in preparation for the El Niño phenomenon or the extended dry season phenomenon.

As for Legacy Hospitals, he said about PHP1 billion has been appropriated for the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), PHP1.5 billion for the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, PHP1 billion for the Philippine Cancer Center, PHP1 billion for the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, PHP1 billion for the Bicol Regional Medical Center, and PHP500 million for the Batangas Regional Medical Center.

He added that Congress has also prioritized the President’s legacy housing program for the poor for funding.

“With government subsidy, more Filipinos can now have access to quality, affordable housing. Since monthly amortization is only PHP2,500 to PHP3,500, government housing will be much more affordable than the projects of private developers, which cost about PHP15,000 a month in amortization,” he said.

In terms of asserting the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Romualdez said Congress is one with the President in protecting the territory and calling out China for its “aggressive” activities.

He said the House and the Senate set aside PHP1.5 billion for the development and expansion of the airport in Pag-asa Island, as well as an additional PHP800 million for the construction of a shelter port for fishermen and boats in Lawak, Palawan – the island closest to Ayungin Shoal, where a platoon of Filipino soldiers is manning a rusting Navy vessel intentionally grounded there in 1999 as a symbol of Philippine presence in that area.

“We urge China to accept the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated Beijing’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea,” Romualdez said.

Marcos is set to sign the proposed 2024 spending program in ceremonies at the Palace on Wednesday. (PNA)