AICS bill hurdles final reading

A bill aiming to institutionalize the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program has passed its third and final reading in the House of Representatives, though its Senate counterpart remains stalled in committee.

House Bill 11395, also known as the proposed Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Act, was unanimously approved late Wednesday with 176 lawmakers voting in favor. This approval came barely a week after Congress adjourned sine die.

The bill seeks to make the distribution of AICS a permanent program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

It would encompass financial, medical, funeral, transportation, material and professional services for persons with disabilities or special needs.

To address medical needs, the Department of Health would be required to provide initial costings per disability type, subject to assessment by DSWD officers.

The program targets individuals in crisis, defined by the bill as a “stressful situation that impairs psychosocial functioning or socio-economic activities, including education, work, and health care.”

The proposed legislation also aims to establish an automated system for processing and releasing aid, with associated service fees covered by the DSWD’s annual budget under the General Appropriations Act.