A former Finance undersecretary on Wednesday called for a public audit of the Ayuda sa Kapos sa Kita Program (AKAP) amid reports that beneficiaries received a lower monetary aid than the intended P5,000.

Cielo Magno, a fiscal policy expert and economics professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, disclosed that the campaign was supposed to be launched this month, challenging Speaker Martin Romualdez to publicly release the list of those who received AKAP funds in 2024.

“They said the money was handed out, and they were supposed to receive P5,000 from the AKAP program. [But] a lot of people messaging me saying they didn't receive P5,000. Some said they just signed, but they didn't receive anything,” she said in an interview.

Magno contended that it is crucial to publicize the records since lawmakers have long bragged about transparent government.

“It's our money and they also said they want to help the poor, so let's audit it. Who are these people who have received it? How much did they receive so we can know if the people listed are real people and if the money they received is correct?” she added.

Romualdez’s office has yet to release a counter-statement to the Daily Tribune. But, in December, he asserted that the “administration is ready to show where each cent was allocated,” alluding to the program beneficiaries.

AKAP is a program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that provides one-time cash assistance ranging from P3,000 to P5,000 to “near-poor” minimum wage earners or those with incomes falling below the poverty threshold and are not covered by other government aid programs.

The project, initiated by some members of the House and led by Romualdez, was allocated a whopping P26.7 billion in the 2024 budget.

Senator Imee's 'magical' criticisms

Some of their counterparts in the Senate, especially Senator Imee Marcos, contested the fund allocation, deeming it “alien" and "magical” to her, and said it was inserted by the House at the last minute during the previous bicam.

The Senate deleted the AKAP in its version of the 2025 budget, but it was later restored in the bicameral conference committee to P26 billion from the initial proposal of P39.8 billion. Of the amount, P21 billion will be allocated to members of the House, while P5 billion will go to senators, who drew criticism for flip-flopping.

Critics, such as Magno, have raised concerns that the contentious AKAP may be prone to corruption and politicization, especially with the upcoming mid-term elections, citing the presence of lawmakers during the dole-out.

However, legislators, particularly members of the House, insisted that the DSWD solely handles the allocation and that they play no role in disbursing the funds. Moreover, they claimed that their role would be limited to overseeing and suggesting the DSWD implement the social program in areas where it is needed.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delayed the signing of the 2025 budget following a public clamor for a thorough review of the same over questionable cuts and the inclusion of programs such as the AKAP.

This year's expenditure dropped to P6.326 trillion from P6.352 trillion after Marcos vetoed line items inconsistent with his administration’s priority programs. AKAP, however, passed Marcos' scrutiny and was retained in the 2025 budget.