ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 will temporarily halt the issuance of guarantee letters (GL) under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP) starting December 13.
This suspension aims to facilitate the annual liquidation process for this year, according to Beverly Salazar, chief of the Crisis Intervention Section of DSWD-6.
The suspension will last two to three weeks, allowing the agency to account for all funds disbursed in 2024, she explained.
Salazar expressed optimism that the issuance of GLs will resume by the first week of January 2025, similar to this year’s resumption on January 7, 2024.
“This way, the gap in providing assistance will only be about two to three weeks,” Salazar said.
Assistance Rendered in 2024
Data from DSWD-6 reveals that from January to November 2024, the agency served 312,421 clients under AICS, disbursing a total of P1.263 billion.
Assistance under AICS is still ongoing and will continue until the suspension begins on December 13.
For AKAP, which targets low-income earners, including those in the informal sector, 261,646 clients have been assisted, with nearly P1 billion disbursed so far.
Specifically for GLs under AICS, 28,266 clients benefited, with a total fund release of P946.4 million.
Meanwhile, GLs under AKAP supported 8,973 clients, amounting to PHP 285.2 million in assistance.
Scope of Assistance
Salazar noted that GLs cover hospital bills, chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis, and medicines.
To ensure sustainability, DSWD-6 has partnered with pharmaceutical companies, limiting direct cash disbursements in favor of providing medicines to clients.
“For medicines, we now issue GLs instead of cash. This approach is more effective as many clients seeking help every three months present recurring illnesses like pneumonia. Our partnerships with pharmaceutical companies ensure they get the help they need,” Salazar explained.
Alternative Assistance Options
For those needing assistance during the suspension period, Salazar advised families to seek help through the Department of Health’s (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program or the Medical Assistance for Indigent Program (MAIP) of respective hospitals.
“Many hospitals have their MAIP programs. I’m not certain if they will also suspend assistance by December 13, but as a government agency, it is necessary to liquidate our funds,” Salazar added./PN
