Quezon City, Philippines — With only a few days left before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 14, the lawmakers are speeding up the tempo to pass and act on the remaining and pending bills filed before the Congress.
During the 2nd Day of the 3rd Regular session of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the lower chamber formally approves on its third and final reading House Bill No. 11395 or an Act Institutionalizing the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program.
The house bill, also known on its shorter title AICS Act, aims to alleviate the plight of poor Filipinos and improve their state of living through the government’s social services and assistance.
The bill pushes for the institutionalization of the AICS program, hence, making its implementation permanent.
AICS is a social service program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development which is aimed at providing necessary assistance or ayuda needed by struggling Filipinos, especially those under crisis situations.
The programs include various assistance including financial, material such as food or non food assistance, psychosocial support service, referral service, and others deemed necessary by DSWD.
The bill also included the unlawful acts regarding the program’s implementation, as well as the corresponding punishments for a violation.
It can be recalled that in the January 2025 survey of the Social Weather Stations, 80% of Filipinos deemed the AICS program as helpful for Filipinos in crisis.