The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended aid from its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) to more than 8.2 million Filipinos in need from January to November 2025.
DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumalo said this figure exceeded the agency’s target number of beneficiaries for the AICS last year.
“In 2024, the target clients of the AICS program was 4.2 million. For 2025 we increased the target to 6.9 million clients to cater to more Filipinos in difficult circumstances. However, we still exceeded the target number of beneficiaries. Our accomplishment is at 119.48%,” Dumlao said in a statement on Monday.
The AICS is a social protection program of the DSWD that offers immediate, short-term support to individuals and families facing crises or difficult circumstances.
Most of the beneficiaries who received AICS interventions were from Central Luzon with more than 800,000 assisted individuals.
The Cagayan Valley region came in second with over 780,000 clients served and Calabarzon in third with more than 779,000 AICS clients served.
Dumlao said the assistance ranged from medical assistance, transportation assistance, burial/funeral assistance, food assistance, assistive devices and technologies, psychosocial support, family food packs (FFPs), and cash relief assistance.
She expressed optimism that the higher funding for the AICS in the 2026 national budget – from P26.9 billion to P63.9 billion in Congress’ version of the spending plan – will help guarantee the proper implementation of Republic Act (RA) 12309 or the Free Funeral Services Act, which lapsed into law on September 28, 2025.
Under the law, the DSWD’s AICS program will shoulder the funeral package of poor families who cannot afford a proper and dignified burial for their deceased.
“Rest assured that every peso entrusted to the DSWD will be used judiciously, transparently, and with full accountability. All our social protection programs will be carefully implemented and aligned with the Marcos administration’s goal of providing responsive, inclusive, and genuine service to the Filipino people,” Dumlao said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News
