A majority of adult Filipinos support the continuation and expansion of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), according to a recent nationwide survey by OCTA Research.
The Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey, conducted from January 25 to 31, 2025, found that 69% or almost seven in 10 adult Filipino respondents favored the program’s continuation and expansion.
Survey results also showed that nearly 8 in 10 or 79% of Filipinos are aware of AKAP, which provides cash assistance to low-income families struggling with the rising cost of living.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao welcomed the findings, stating that they confirm AKAP’s effectiveness in supporting vulnerable individuals and families.
“This validates AKAP as a program that caters to low-income individuals and families who are in need of augmentation to meet their daily needs, including food and transportation,” she said.
OCTA Research, an independent and non-partisan polling organization, conducted the survey using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 male and female respondents aged 18 and above.
The survey has a margin of error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level, with subnational estimates for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao having a ±6% margin of error.
Awareness of AKAP is highest in the Visayas at 88%, followed by Mindanao at 85% and the National Capital Region at 81%.
Awareness is also strong across socioeconomic classes, ranging from 78% to 90%, suggesting the program has reached diverse income groups.
Support for AKAP’s expansion varies by region, with Balance Luzon showing the highest level at 74%, while the Visayas recorded the lowest at 63%.
Among educational levels, agreement ranges from 64% to 74%, with the highest approval from those with no formal education or elementary-level education.
More urban respondents (72%) than rural respondents (66%) support the program, while women (72%) express higher approval than men (67%).
In MIMAROPA, 100% of surveyed adults favor AKAP’s continuation and expansion, while lower agreement levels were noted in Cagayan Valley (16%), Caraga (42%), and Northern Mindanao (49%).
AKAP is designed to assist minimum-wage earners and low-income families affected by economic challenges, including inflation and job instability.
In 2024, the program aided nearly 5 million Filipinos, with a fund utilization rate of 99.31% from its P26.7 billion budget allocation.
Each eligible beneficiary received P5,000 in financial assistance, aimed at covering essential needs such as food and transportation.
