Manila: The Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) Program has been allocated no funding in the proposed 2026 budget, as it still has considerable unused funds, Malaca±ang announced on Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, a statement from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) revealed that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) still has access to approximately PHP13 billion for the AKAP Program’s continuation. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro highlighted that of the PHP27 billion allocated for AKAP in 2025, only PHP13 billion has been utilized by the DSWD so far.

Castro informed Palace reporters that the remaining PHP13 billion can be used until the end of 2026. She noted that budget proposals from various government agencies have escalated to nearly PHP10 trillion for 2026, surpassing the government’s fiscal capacity. Consequently, the DBM had to prioritize funding for agencies requiring immediate financial support.

Castro explained the necessity of prioritizing certain agencies, which led to the decision of allocating zero funds to AKAP for 2026. The AKAP Program, introduced in 2023, aims to provide cash assistance to minimum wage earners and near-poor Filipinos to mitigate the effects of inflation.