More than 8.2 million Filipinos in crisis nationwide received aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program from January to November last year.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the total number of clients exceeded the DSWD target for 2025.

“In 2024, the target 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, the number of beneficiaries we served still exceeded. Our accomplishment was at 119.48 percent,” she said in a news release Monday.

The AICS is a social protection program that offers immediate, short-term support to individuals and families facing crises or difficult circumstances.

Most of the clients who received AICS assistance were from Central Luzon, with more than 800,000, followed by Cagayan Valley Region with over 780,000 clients, and Calabarzon with more than 779,000.

“The types of assistance provided to the clients of the AICS program include medical assistance, transportation assistance, burial or funeral assistance, food assistance, assistive devices and technologies, psychosocial support, family food packs, and cash relief assistance,” Dumlao said.

She also welcomed the Congress bicameral conference committee’s approval of the PHP63.9 billion budget for the 2026 AICS program.

“The DSWD’s original proposed budget for the AICS is PHP26.9 billion under the National Expenditure Program. We thank our legislators for increasing the budget as we expect that the additional funds will cover an estimated eight million more Filipinos experiencing difficult conditions,” she said.

She emphasized that the increase in the AICS budget will guarantee the proper implementation of Republic Act No. 12309 or the Free Funeral Services Act, which lapsed into law on Sept. 28, 2025.

Under the law, the DSWD’s AICS program will shoulder the funeral package of poor families who cannot afford a 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. (PNA)