Following the increase in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) budget for fiscal year 2026, the agency said it will issue a memorandum circular within the week to implement anti-epal provisions aimed at preventing political patronage in social assistance programs such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

DSWD Undersecretary for the Policy and Planning Group Adonis Sulit said the department already has issuances insulating program implementation from partisan politics, but noted that Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian will release a new memorandum circular to align with the provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2026.

“Either today or within this week, the Secretary will issue the Memorandum Circular implementing that provision, Sections 19 and 20 of the General Appropriations Act of 2026, or what we call Anti-EPAL,” Sulit said.

“So, if you'll note, the DSWD, since 2013, has a lot of issuances already insulating program implementation from partisan politics. But, because there is a specific prohibition under the 2026 GANA, we will need to come up with a new one freshening out the details,” he added.

Under the 2026 national budget, the DSWD was allotted P264.45 billion, reflecting a net increase of P48.6 billion from the 2025 General Appropriations Act allocation of P215.8 billion. Of the total amount, P63.9 billion was earmarked to sustain assistance coverage for individuals and families in difficult circumstances.

During a hearing on Wednesday, Senator Erwin Tulfo urged the DSWD to fast-track the review and implementation of its guidelines on financial assistance, citing the proximity of elections and the risk of abuse of government aid programs.

“Bilis-bilisan ho ninyo para ma-implement na ho yan. Kasi hindi niyo pwedeng sabihing review nang review. It has to be implemented na tapos election is around the corner, ng barangay, dyan po yung matinding kinakatakot po ng mga kababayan natin na baka maabuso yung mga assistance na pinamigay ninyo,” Tulfo said during the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development hearing.

Sulit said local stakeholders have historically been cooperative in complying with DSWD rules and understand the limits imposed on political involvement in program implementation.

“Since there is a specific provision in the GAA 2026, in the Memorandum Circular that the Secretary will issue, it states that presence (political partisans) is prohibited at any given time in the distribution area of financial assistance of all the programs of the DSWD,” Sulit said.

“So, how can we ensure that it will be implemented properly? In the experience of the DSWD, we have very responsible partners. When we tell them what they can only do, in our experience, they follow,” he added.

Sulit also noted that the department’s budget increase was supported by its fiscal performance, citing continued improvements in obligation and disbursement rates over the years.

The DSWD assured the public that the expanded budget will be spent strictly on social welfare and development programs, with accountability mechanisms in place.

“Pag binibigyan kami ng malaking pondo, it comes with responsibility and accountability to spend it according to the rules. So far, we are happy to note that we are doing it according to the books and we tend to continue to behave as we implement the 2026 budget,” Sulit said.