DISTRIBUTION of any forms of financial assistance, locally known as “ayuda,” is prohibited 10 days before the May 12, 2025 national and local elections.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia made this reminder in a radio interview on Saturday, April 26, saying that from May 2 to 12, ayuda payouts are prohibited, except for medical and burial assistance.
The prohibited payouts include those from the Department of Social and Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (Akap), and Department of Labor and Employment’s (Dole) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad).
The Dole’s Central Visayas office said it has also suspended payouts under its Tupad program from May 2 to May 12. This suspension will continue despite the agency securing an exemption from the Comelec that would have allowed continued implementation during the election period.
According to Dole 7, the suspension is a precautionary move. It aims to protect the integrity of Tupad and prevent perceptions of the program being used for political gain.
Violators will face charges for violating the Omnibus Election Code, which is punishable by imprisonment, according to Garcia.
Earlier, the Comelec issued a ban exemption on the Department of Agriculture’s P20-per-kilo rice program, which will be piloted in the Visayas.
To implement the program, local government units must secure separate certificates of exemption. If they resell rice products at a lower price, the distribution and sale of subsidized rice should take place in public places, allowing observation by media, civil society, and interest groups.
The program was launched at the Cebu Provincial Capitol with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Visayas governors, including Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who directed localities in the province that they can begin selling subsidized rice on Monday, April 28.
Governor Garcia informed mayors in a meeting last April 25 of the availability of over 20,000 bags of rice at the Capitol’s warehouse and urged each local chief executive to withdraw their allocation.
Program profiles
AICS, a social welfare program, provides immediate and temporary aid to individuals and families experiencing unexpected crises or difficult life events. It serves as a social safety net to help vulnerable and disadvantaged Filipinos meet their basic needs during emergencies.
Dole’s Tupad offers temporary wage employment (10-90 days) to displaced, marginalized and vulnerable workers (age 18 and up), including those in the informal sector affected by crises. Beneficiaries participate in community projects, such as social, economic, and agro-forestry initiatives, and provide assistance to local government units.
DSWD’s 4Ps is the National Government’s primary poverty reduction initiative. It provides conditional cash transfers to poor households to enhance the health, nutrition and education of children aged 0-18. 4Ps aims to break intergenerational poverty.
Akap, another DSWD initiative, provides financial aid (P1,000 - PHP 10,000+) to low-income and minimum wage earners struggling with inflation and economic hardship. Targeting those earning below the statutory minimum wage in both formal and informal sectors (excluding regular DSWD aid recipients), Akap offers medical, funeral, food and cash assistance based on assessed needs.
The Comelec imposes a prohibition on the release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds before elections to prevent the use of government resources to influence election outcomes. It is enforced except for specific exemptions, such as certain projects in education and health sectors. / TPM, CDF