Bontoc, Mountain Province โ€“ A total of 500 beneficiaries of the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) received their assistance earlier today, July 5, 2024, at the Municipal Capitol Auditorium.

Mayor Jerome โ€œChagsenโ€ Tudlong, Jr., Congressman Maximo โ€œMaxiโ€ Dalog, Jr., and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Ezra Samson Gomez who represented Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., Sangguniang Bayan Members Jupiter Jule Kalangeg and Glenn Bacala, led the turnover of cash assistance amounting to โ‚ฑ3,000.00 to the beneficiaries.

A total budget of โ‚ฑ1.5 million was allocated for the program, with beneficiaries including barangay officials and functionaries, Barangay Health Workers, Child Development Workers, Green Police, and Tricycle and Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) drivers.

al Government, and Congressman Dalog for their continued support. He also encouraged the beneficiaries to use the assistance wisely and for the betterment of their families.

โ€œPlease make sure to use this assistance wisely. It is meant to help you and your families during these challenging times. I urge you to prioritize essential needs and think of sustainable ways to utilize this support. This assistance is a stepping stone towards improving your living conditions, so let us make the most of it,โ€ he added.

AKAP is part of an almost โ‚ฑ500 billion social amelioration program or ‘ayuda’ for at least 12 million poor and low-income families or an estimated 48 million Filipinos under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024.

To qualify as a beneficiary of AKAP, the individual must belong to the low-income category, such as those whose income does not exceed the statutory minimum wage, according to the MC No. 4 signed by the DSWD Secretary Gatchalian last February 26, 2024.

In their messages, Congressman Dalog and SP Member Gomez extended their gratitude to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., for conceptualizing the said program which benefits marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society, providing them with much-needed financial relief.

Dalog further added that the program is in line with the current administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” program, which aims to uplift the living conditions of Filipinos through comprehensive social welfare programs.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tudlong emphasized the importance of the program in alleviating the economic struggles of the beneficiaries and thanked President Marcos, House Speaker Romualdez, the DSWD, the Provincial Government, and Congressman Dalog for their continued support. He also encouraged the beneficiaries to use the assistance wisely and for the betterment of their families.

โ€œPlease make sure to use this assistance wisely. It is meant to help you and your families during these challenging times. I urge you to prioritize essential needs and think of sustainable ways to utilize this support. This assistance is a stepping stone towards improving your living conditions, so let us make the most of it,โ€ he added.

AKAP is part of an almost โ‚ฑ500 billion social amelioration program or ‘ayuda’ for at least 12 million poor and low-income families or an estimated 48 million Filipinos under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024.

To qualify as a beneficiary of AKAP, the individual must belong to the low-income category, such as those whose income does not exceed the statutory minimum wage, according to the MC No. 4 signed by the DSWD Secretary Gatchalian last February 26, 2024.