The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) new guidelines for the implementation of its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) will feature provisions safeguarding the program from any political influence and promoting community participation.
“Ito kasi lagi natin sinasabi, pinaka-mahalaga kasi dyan is to get community participation. Yun pong ating mga beneficiaries, dapat alam po nila na dapat walang mga political actors sa ating mga payout events. So, kung alam po nila, mataas ang level of awareness, sila po mismo ang mag-rereport kung may ma-oobserve sila (We always say that the most important thing here is to get community participation. The beneficiaries should know that political actors are barred from payout events. If their level of awareness is high, the beneficiaries themselves will report if they observe political actors during payouts),” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a radio interview on Monday.
The DSWD spokesperson said the anti-political influence guidelines were adopted by the DSWD in 2025 under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2025-01, along with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development for the implementation of the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).
“While wala na pong AKAP for 2026, we could adopt the same guidelines na kung saan nakalagay nga po roon sa ating panuntunan na talagang bawal po yung appearance ng mga political actors sa mga isasagawa natin na mga payout activities (While there is no more AKAP for 2026, we could adopt the same guidelines where it is provided that political actors are really barred from payout activities,” she said.
“Bawal din po yung pagpapaskil ng mga tarpaulin, mga posters dun sa mga payout sites. And of course, isa sa mahalagang detalye nung panuntunan natin ay yung paglalagay ng mga (Tarpaulins and posters are also prohibited in payout sites. One of the important details of the guidelines is the establishment of) grievance desks during our payout event,” Dumlao said.
Dumlao also encouraged the public to report any complaint or concern to the DSWD’s Integrated Grievance Redress Management System (IGRMS) at https://i-grs.dswd.gov.ph./ (PNA)