Lawmaker Says Philippines Becomes an ‘Ayuda Nation’ Due to Increasing Social Assistance Budget
A lawmaker has called the Philippines an “ayuda nation” because of its growing dependence on social cash assistance.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio has raised concerns over the sharp increase in government spending for financial aid programs, during the budget hearing of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The lawmaker pointed to the huge growth of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program over the past decade.
According to Tinio, the budget for AICS increased from only P700 million in 2016 to P63.9 billion in 2026. He described the rise as alarming, noting that it represents a 9,060 percent increase in just ten years.
Sinio explained that the program’s funding first expanded significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when many Filipinos needed emergency assistance. However, he noted that the budget continued to grow even more in the years that followed.
The latter also mentioned the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which received more than P26 billion in funding in both 2024 and 2025.
While aid programs received larger budgets, Tinio pointed out that the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) experienced a 45 percent reduction. He argued that livelihood programs are important because they help people earn a stable income and become less dependent on government assistance.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the government’s focus on aid programs could encourage long-term dependence instead of creating opportunities for people to improve their lives through employment and business opportunities. He stressed the need to strengthen programs that generate jobs and support economic growth.
Tinio also noted that the total funding for various assistance programs reached P139 billion in 2026, nearly double the P73 billion allocated in 2016.
For 2027, the proposed budget for AICS is set at P33.3 billion, significantly lower than the P63.9 billion allocated for the program in 2026.
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