Bicam approves higher AICS budget for 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The bicameral conference committee has agreed to increase the budget allotment for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) — which transparency advocates deemed as soft pork — to over P63.9 billion.

The AICS allocation nearly doubled from P26.9 billion under the National Expenditure Program. The House of Representatives approved P59.09 billion for the program, while the Senate approved around P34 billion.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, former Department of Social Welfare and Development’s secretary, moved to adopt the House proposal for the DSWD’s AICS budget, citing how back-to-back disasters in 2025 strained the program’s funds.

Tulfo said that by the fourth quarter, usually around October or November, the DSWD typically begins requesting additional quick response funds.

House appropriations committee chairperson Mika Suansing said Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian had sought an additional P43 billion on top of the P26.9 billion AICS allocation proposed in the NEP.

Suansing, however, said that the House only granted P32 billion out of Gatchalian’s P43 billion request due to limited fiscal space.

Senator Imee Marcos raised the alarm over AICS, saying that this might be used in politics, especially with the upcoming Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in 2026.

Tulfo said politicians would not be allowed to be present during the distribution of dole-outs.

During a Senate budget deliberation, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson flagged the increase in the budget allocation for AICS during election periods.

“I am all for cash assistance, but it should be data-driven and part of a real program. Not something whimsical, arbitrary, and politically motivated. It’s about time we streamline this because it’s being abused,” Lacson said.

The bicam also approved higher allocation for Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program, which physician and health advocate Tony Leachon described as a “new pork barrel.”

The bicam, which was scheduled at 4 pm, started around 8 pm on Tuesday, December 16, delaying the hearing by four hours. The third day of deliberations ended at 1:15 am on Wednesday, December 17.

Around 20 agencies were swiftly taken up on the third day of the bicam, after Monday’s session on December 15 was postponed because of issues in the budget of Department of Public Works and Highways. – Rappler.com