00:00Followed by almost a series of typhoons that hit the country for a while,
00:05the leader of the House of Representatives re-designed the aid for the Kapos Angkita Program or AKAP.
00:11The congressmen are determined to fight for the return of the funds for the 2025 General Appropriations Bill.
00:19Even though some senators are against it, Mela Lesmora is coming back.
00:24The leaders of the House of Representatives are against the return of the funds for the Kapos Angkita Program or AKAP to the 2025 General Appropriations Bill.
00:40The committee of the Senate re-designed their own version of the fund that the congressmen did not like.
00:47According to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, it would be better if the senators listen to the voice of the people about this
00:54so they would know how important AKAP is.
00:57AKAP is a type of special assistance for low-income and minimum-wage earners.
01:02I think the other senators don't understand because they don't go down too much.
01:10So I will tell our friends in the Senate to go around and ask the people what they want.
01:19From what I see, from everything we went to, they like it and this program is popular.
01:26The House Committee on Appropriations Chair Elizaldi Co. also supported this.
01:30Earlier in the upcoming Bicameral Conference Committee meeting on the 2025 budget proposal,
01:35Speaker Romualdez also encouraged the re-allocation of funds to AKAP.
01:40Co. said that they will not allow the most vital socialized program of the government to be lost,
01:45which is a big deal while the salary is not rising and many sectors are earning in the society.
01:50According to him, other senators also agree.
01:53I guess if we will criticize, criticize in the sense that we should improve the program, not to totally abolish the program.
02:02I think it's been a smashing success so far.
02:04AKAP has helped a lot now and if we will abolish it or if we will remove it outright,
02:10I think it will be a big blow to the social amelioration program of the national government.
02:14According to the House Committee on Appropriations,
02:17in Metro Manila alone, more than half a million Filipinos benefited from AKAP this year.
02:22Authorities target that the proposed funds for the next year be approved before December ends
02:29to ensure that the government's services and programs will not be lost.
02:34Melalas Moras for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
