‘AICS bill stuck over anti-epal provision’

MANILA, Philippines —  JaysonThe special session may have seen a number of bills passed on second and third reading, but a crucial bill seeking to institutionalize the aid program Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) was stuck in a “deadlock” over congressmen’s opposition to an “anti-epal” provision, according to Sen. Erwin Tulfo.

The special session was supposed to adjourn early Wednesday night, but the Senate had waited for the House contingent to confirm its agreement in ratifying the bill.

But the Senate waited to no avail, prompting Tulfo to take the floor and express his disappointment at the House lawmakers for opposing the bill’s anti-epal provision.

“They refuse to sign and want – they are requesting to thoroughly study certain provisions of the proposed bill, particularly Section 17, which states that politicians are prohibited from distributing financial assistance, especially from the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). They said they want to study that part,” said Tulfo, who chairs the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development.

Tulfo apologized to his colleagues in the Senate, as they waited during session to no avail because of the apparent “deadlock.”

The proposed AICS law is among the administration’s priority legislation.Had the bicam report been approved and ratified during the special session, the bill would be forwarded to the President’s signature and become a law.

“The goal of this law is to provide aid to all Filipinos, not just the poorest of the poor. Even employed individuals facing a crisis can receive assistance here. That is why we are pushing to institutionalize this, so that funding is continuous and implementation is more efficient,” Tulfo said.

Delay explained

The delayed approval of House bill institutionalizing the AICS was due to “a technical effort to ensure precise, enforceable wording” and not the rejection of its anti-epal provision, Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario said yesterday.

According to Almario, chairman of the House committee on social services, their committee “did not block the inclusion of the anti-epal provisions in the AICS institutionalization bill nor do the House members intend to use the program as a political tool.”

“AICS and all other forms of government aid should never be used for the personal promotion, endorsement, or political advantage of any public official. Our mandate is to ensure a fair, transparent, accountable, and non-partisan distribution of aid to those who need it most,” he said.

Almario noted that these measures reinforce safeguards already enforced by National Government Agencies (NGAs), specifically Section 19 of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

This specific provision, according to the senior administration lawmaker from Mindanao, “explicitly bars elected officials, candidates, and political parties from participating in or influencing the release of financial assistance.”

Almario added that he expects the bicameral conference committee composed of senators and congressmen to settle the final language transparently and swiftly, describing the institutionalization of AICS as a “vital safety net for vulnerable Filipinos.”    –  Delon Porcalla