The Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) is a social assistance initiative by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Philippines. This program is designed to provide a social safety net for minimum wage earners and low-income individuals who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of rising inflation.

Who is eligible for AKAP?

The program's primary beneficiaries are Filipinos whose income is below the statutory minimum wage for their region. This includes both those in the formal and informal sectors, such as farmers, fisherfolk, and other self-employed individuals with low incomes.

To ensure the aid goes to those who need it most, the DSWD has specific eligibility criteria. A social worker assesses each potential beneficiary to determine their income, living situation, and overall need for assistance. A referral from an organization or politician does not automatically guarantee financial aid; applicants must still go through the DSWD's verification process.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Cash Relief Assistance

This assistance is an outright cash provided for reasons other than for food, medical, or funeral expenses, which upon the assessment of the DSWD social worker, may appear to be directly related to the effects of inflation (i.e., difficulty in paying for house rental, electricity and water expenses, school expenses of their wards or children, purchasing other important needs while recovering from devastation and shocks brought by disaster or disaster-related events, etc.)

The foregoing assistance shall be directly provided to the qualified individuals at such allowable amounts under these guidelines, subject to the assessment of the DSWD social worker. For outright cash, the maximum amount to be provided is P10,000.00 only per type of assistance. The distribution of assistance is without prejudice to the adoption of digital payment solutions once the necessary infrastructure is in place.

List of Requirements

Any identification document
Any supporting document that can prove that the individual has an income below the applicable minimum wage rate set by the RTWPB; or
Any other document that would show being affected by inflation, like the fact of layoff or displacement from work at the time of assistance application.

Food Assistance

This is a form of assistance provided to meet the need for food and other nutritional requirements for sustenance.

List of Requirements

Any identification document; and
Any supporting document that the individual has an income below the applicable minimum wage rate set by the RTWPB.

Funeral Assistance

This assistance provided to cover funeral, burial and expenses related thereto such as transporting the remains to their residence or hometown, internment, cremation or burial site.

List of Requirements

Any identification document; and
Any supporting document that the individual has an income below the applicable minimum wage rate set by the RTWPB; and
Any of the following:

Death Certificate; or
Certification from (for Moro) and Tribal Chieftain for IPs;

Any of the following as may be applicable:

Funeral Contract (except for Moro and IPs performing customary practices); or
Statement of Account; or
Certification from the Barangay that the family made the casket but has a debt to pay for the materials and other expenses;
Transfer Permit if assistance for transfer of cadaver is requested separately or along with other items under funeral assistance.

A Certificate of Balance or Promissory Note is required should there be funeral expenses left unpaid.

Funeral and related expenses due to a disaster, calamity, and / or critical events or similar circumstances resulting in one ot multiple casualties within the family may allow the surviving family member or the closest Immediate relative of the deceased to request outright cash assistance subject to the assessment of the DSWD Social Worker, without the need of an SCSR.

Medical Assistance

This assistance is provided to cover medical expenses such as payment for hospital bills, cost of medicines, medical treatment or procedures, common laboratory tests, and diagnostic Imaging for any illness or condition, including postpartum complications. The assistance does not extent to other healthcare expenses that are unrelated to medical treatment or aftercare.

List of Requirements

Any identification document; and
Any supporting document that can prove that the individuals has an income below the applicable minimum wage rate set by the RTWPB; and
Any of the following, as may be applicable:

Medical Certificate or Medical Abstract with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months); or
Discharge summary with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months); or
Certificate of Confinement with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months); or
Alagang Pinoy Tagubilin Form with diagnosis, date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months)
Referral Letter from the Malasakit Center issued by the duly assigned DSWD social worker or Medical Social Worker (MSW)

Depending on the purpose of the medical assistance, the client shall submit any of the following requirements, in addition to the basic requirements above:

Temporary/final Hospital Bill/Statement of Account (Outstanding Balance) with complete name and signature of the Billing Clerk; or
A Certificate of Balance or promissory note shall be required id the patient has already been discharged from the hospital.

Prescription with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months); or
Treatment protocol with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months);

Laboratory request/s with date if issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician; or
Laboratory Protocol with date if issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (issued within the last 3 months); or
Doctor's order with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (preferably valid for 3 months); or

Treatment protocol with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician; or
Philhealth certification that their coverage is exhausted; or
Prescription with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician; or
Doctor's order with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician (preferably valid for 3 months); or
Quotation with full name and signature of any issuing officer; or
Psychiatrist or psychologist certification with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending psychiatrist/psychologist. (issued within the last 3 months)

Rice Assistance

This is a form of assistance provided through partnership with Local Government Unit. Not more than the cost of 12.5 kilograms of rice based on PSA data on latest average retail price of regular milled rice in the province.

Every fund transfer to an LGU shall be no more than Php 20 Million.

REPORTING

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