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Republic of the Philippines  
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House of Representatives 
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Quezon City 
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TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
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First Regular Session 
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House Bill No. __________ 
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Introduced by Representative Jernie Jett V. Nisay 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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Millions of Filipinos face unforeseen crises like natural disasters, health emergencies, 
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displacement, violence, or sudden financial hardship that disrupt their ability to meet basic 
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needs such as food, medical care, transportation, or education. The Department of Social 
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Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) 
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program has long served as a lifeline, but it remains largely policy-based, leaving 
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implementation vulnerable to inconsistencies, gaps, and limited funding. 
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This bill institutionalizes the AICS Program as a permanent, comprehensive, and rights-
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based social protection mechanism. It provides clear definitions, establishes standardized 
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forms of assistance including financial, medical, educational, transportation, food, funeral, and 
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disability support; and ensures that aid reaches indigent, vulnerable, and disadvantaged 
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individuals and families efficiently and transparently. 
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The measure also sets safeguards, monitoring systems, penalties for misuse, and 
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adequate appropriations to guarantee continuity and accountability. By doing so, it strengthens 
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the government’s mandate to alleviate poverty, uphold dignity, and protect Filipinos in times of 
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crisis. 
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In view of the foregoing, the swift passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
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      REP. JERNIE JETT V. NISAY 
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      Pusong Pinoy Partylist 
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September 10, 2025
3:58 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
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House of Representatives 
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Quezon City 
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TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
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First Regular Session 
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House Bill No. __________ 
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Introduced by Representative Jernie Jett V. Nisay 
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AN ACT  
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INSTITUTIONALIZING THE ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS 
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SITUATIONS PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND 
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DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION OF CERTAIN 
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UNLAWFUL ACTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. –  This Act shall be known as the “Assistance to Individuals 
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in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic 
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social order alleviating the plight of the poor through policies that provide adequate social 
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services and raise the standard of living for the improved quality of life for all. To this end, the 
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State shall provide assistance through projects, programs, and services geared towards 
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alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of every Filipino, especially the marginalized 
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sector, and disadvantaged individuals and families. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms – As used in this Act 
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a) Assistive technology refers to “assistive products” whose primary purpose is to increase,
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maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities, to enhance
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overall well-being and help prevent impairments and secondary health conditions.
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These include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearing aids, visual aids, and specialized
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computer software and hardware, or any advancement in technologies that increase
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mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities;
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b) Case management refers to a process of assessing, planning, managing, coordinating 
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and advocating for services and other interventions used by the Department of Social 
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Welfare and Development (DSWD) to improve the capability of qualified beneficiaries in 
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addressing their needs; 
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c) Cash relief assistance refers to an outright cash provided to individuals and families that 
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are currently in extremely difficult circumstances such as victims of calamities/disasters, 
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crimes, victims of violence against women and their children, trafficking and repatriated 
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overseas Filipino workers and other similar circumstances; 
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d) Crisis situation refers to a condition of an individual in a stressful situation that impairs 
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psychosocial functioning or participation in socio-economic activities, including access 
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to education, work, and healthcare, that requires series of interventions to prevent 
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further exposure to vulnerabilities, exploitation, or abuse; 
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e) Disability support assistance refers to the monetary support to cover the purchase of 
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assistive products, technologies, provision of sign language interpreter, persona 
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assistant, maintenance medicines and hygiene needs, life support equipment, and other 
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needs of persons with disabilities; 
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f) Educational assistance refers to financial assistance extended to all students to help 
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defray school expenses and/or cost of sending students/children to school such as 
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school fees augmentation, supplies, projects, allowance and other related expenses and 
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to eradicate barriers to quality education, including those barriers faced by persons on 
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account of their disabilities; 
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g) Financial assistance refers to monetary support in the form of outright cash, electronic 
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fund transfer, guarantee letter, coupon, check or voucher that has monetary value, 
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including funeral assistance, transportation assistance, food assistance, cash relief 
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assistance, and all other types of cash assistance that may be provided under the 
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Program; 
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h) Food assistance refers to assistance to those in need due to human-induced and natural 
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calamities and those experiencing other forms of crisis or displacement, eviction, 
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demolitions or requiring interventions for sector-specific support which include hot 
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meals, food or meal allowance, or the cash equivalent of the required hot meals and/or 
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food packs; 
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i) Funeral assistance refers to assistance to help defray funeral and related expenses 
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such as transfer of cadaver, burial site, and other related expenses incurred by the 
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family of the deceased, with consideration to context, cultural, and religious 
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backgrounds; 
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j) Guarantee letter refers to a document approved and issued by the DSWD, which 
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ensures the payment of the amount appearing on the document, that the beneficiary 
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presents to any public or government owned or controlled hospitals or other institutions 
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and to any similar private entity that is willing to provide services; 
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k) Material and other in-kind assistance refers to an assistance given to individuals in crisis 
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by providing them food and non-food items, non-financial, and the likes, and may also 
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include other professional assistance available in the DSWD, such as psycho-social 
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support and legal consultation; 
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l) Medical assistance refers to out-of-pocket expense in the form of coupon, stub, 
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guarantee letter, promissory note or voucher that has monetary value, given directly to 
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recipients or beneficiaries to pay for hospitalization expenses, other medical treatments 
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or procedures, and which include birthing procedure, as well as professional fees and 
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consultation fees, purchase of drugs, medicines, goods or other services prescribed by 
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the physician of a health facility for in- and out-patients; 
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m) Persons with disabilities refer to those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual 
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or sensory impairments that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an 
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equal basis with others, including cancer patients and persons living with cancer and 
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cancer survivors under Republic Act No. 11215, otherwise known as the “National 
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Integrated Cancer Control Act” and persons with rare disease under Republic Act No. 
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10747, otherwise known as the “Rare Diseases Act of the Philippines”; 
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n) Target beneficiaries refer to individuals or families who are indigent, financially 
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incapacitated, stateless persons, repatriates, transients, vulnerable, disadvantaged, or 
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internally displaced persons or in crisis situations based on the assessment of the social 
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workers of the DSWD; and 
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o) Transportation assistance refers to the monetary support to cover the actual cost 
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incurred on land, sea, and air travel, including travel insurance and such other related 
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expenses as facilitated by the social workers of the DSWD. 
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SEC. 4. Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) – To effectively respond to 
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the individuals in crisis situation, each qualified target beneficiary shall receive financial, 
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medical, transportation, food, material assistance, and other assistance to include disability 
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support services including other professional assistance available in the DSWD, such as 
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psychosocial support or intervention for dysfunctional families and their children who need 
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trauma care and management, and legal consultation, based on the assessment of the social 
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workers of the DSWD. 
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SEC. 5.  Types of Assistance. - The following are the types of assistance that the target 
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beneficiaries may receive under the Program based on the assessment and recommendation 
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of the social workers, authorized personnel, or any other personnel authorized by the DSWD, 
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duly approved by their authorized officials: 
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(a) Financial assistance – as defined in Section 3, paragraph (g); 
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(b) Material assistance – a service providing food and non-food items to clients who 
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need immediate material support, such as food packs or vouchers, hygiene or 
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sleeping kits and assistive devices and technologies, subject to its availability; 
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(c) Psychosocial support service – a service provided by trained or professional 
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psychosocial support workers to help meet the psychological, emotional, and 
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social needs of beneficiaries and their families. It is a set of interventions that 
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intends to positively improve a person’s behavior to reduce the impact of stress 
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brought about by a crisis through behavioral modification interventions; 
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(d) Referral service – a service provided when the requested support is not within 
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the range of services of the Program through coordination and/or endorsement 
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of the beneficiary’s case within the DSWD’s available programs, projects and 
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services and to other agencies such as to the Department of Education, 
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Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development 
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Authority, Department of Health (DOH), Public Attorney’s Office, Philippine 
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Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, 
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local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies, civil society 
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organizations, and international/non-government organizations; and 
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(e) Such other services that the DSWD may deem appropriate. 
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SEC. 6. Coverage – Only micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that have been adversely 
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affected by a declared economic emergency, public health emergency, or state of calamity, as 
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officially proclaimed by the appropriate authority, shall be eligible to apply for assistance under 
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the program: Provided, That the affected micro or small enterprise meets at least one of the 
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following conditions, supported by the corresponding documentation:  
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(a) Sustained Decline in Net Income – The enterprise has experienced a 
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consistent decline in net income of at least twenty-seven percent (27%) or the 
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equivalent of the total labor cost of enterprise operations in the last six (6) months 
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immediately preceding the declared emergency, as shown in its financial 
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statements, income tax returns, or bank-certified financial records showing 
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comparative monthly net income. 
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(b) Reduction in Operations, Workforce, or Business Activity – The enterprise 
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has significantly reduced its business operations, employee count, or activity 
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levels as a direct consequence of the emergency verified through barangay or 
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local government certification, affidavits of closure or downsizing, employee 
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termination records, or payroll documents showing the decline in employee 
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count. 
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(c) Damage to Essential Physical Assets – The enterprise has incurred damage 
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to physical assets, such as, but not limited to, equipment, machinery, inventory, 
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or facilities, which are vital for business continuity, as evidenced by photographs 
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or videos of the damage, insurance assessment reports, inspection reports from 
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the LGU or DTI, or affidavits from authorized personnel or property owners. 
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Employers enrolling under the wage subsidy program shall ensure that employees are 
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not presently recipients or have been recipients in the last three (3) months of other government 
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subsidy programs such as, but not limited to, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 
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the Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP), and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating 
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Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), or other government programs similar in nature. 
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SEC. 7. Micro and Small Business Subsidy Program Committee. – A Micro and 
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Small Business Subsidy Program (MSBSP) Committee is hereby created to be headed by the 
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DTI. 
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The MSBSP shall have, as members, representatives from the DTI, DOLE, DRRMC, 
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BIR, and DSWD, which shall have the following functions:  
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(a) Receive, evaluate, validate, and process applications in the MSEs Subsidy 
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Program, which shall not exceed one (1) month starting from the date of receipt 
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of the application; 
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(b) Determine the appropriate assistance for eligible applicants; 
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(c) Supervise and monitor compliance of the beneficiaries in the MSEs Subsidy 
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Program; 
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(d) Conduct monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the program; 
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(e) Publish a full report of the program implementation that shall be submitted to 
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Congress in the first quarter of every year; and  
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(f) Coordinate with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of 
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Finance (DOF) to ensure synergy with other financial assistance programs for 
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SMES.  
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SEC. 8. Subsidies and Duration. – Qualified micro and small enterprises shall be entitled 
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to one or more of the following forms of assistance and relief under this Act, subject to the 
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recommendation of the Micro and Small Business Subsidy Program (MSBSP) Committee: 
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(a) Employee Wage Support – Employee wage subsidy of Eight thousand pesos 
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(P8,000.00) per month for a period not exceeding six (6) months per subsidy 
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cycle that shall be renewable for one (1) additional consecutive subsidy cycle 
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per officially declared economic emergency, public health emergency, or state 
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of calamity, as determined by the appropriate authority. The subsidy amount 
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shall be credited directly to eligible employees or through the employer's payroll 
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system, whichever is deemed more appropriate by the MSBSP Committee. 
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Wage support subsidy shall cover: 
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1. All employees of microenterprises; and 
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2. Up to fifty (50) employees or two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of 
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employees, whichever is higher, for small enterprises.  
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The MSBSP Committee shall conduct an evaluation of the micro and  
small 
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enterprise beneficiary upon completion of the first subsidy cycle to  
assess 
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enterprise's eligibility for a second subsidy cycle.  
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(b) Temporary Business Tax Exemption – Exemption from business taxes for a 
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minimum period of six (6) months and up to a maximum of twelve (12) months, 
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or until such time the MSBSP Committee deems the enterprise to have 
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sufficiently recovered from the adverse impact of the emergency.  
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(c) Rent Subsidy – A rental subsidy covering payment of the enterprise's place of 
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business for a maximum of six (6) months and not exceeding Two hundred 
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thousand pesos (P200,000): Provided, That the approved subsidy amount shall 
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be transferred to the eligible enterprise's official business deposit account on a 
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monthly basis. 
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(d) Asset-Based Cash Assistance – A one-time cash grant of not more than One 
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hundred fifty thousand pesos (P150,000.00) credited to the eligible enterprise's 
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official business deposit account to cover the replacement or repair of damaged 
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equipment and/or physical assets essential to business operations. The amount 
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shall be determined based on the latest appraised value of the affected assets 
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required to ensure business continuity. 
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(e) Loan Moratorium for SB Corporation Borrowers – A mandatory loan 
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moratorium shall be imposed for a period of six (6) months on all loan 
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repayments due from borrowers of the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.) 
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under its regular lending and Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) loan 
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programs, during which: 
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1. Borrowers availing of this subsidy scheme shall automatically qualify 
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upon application for a loan moratorium under this Act; 
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2. No interest, penalties, or late fees shall accrue; 
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3. The loan term shall be extended accordingly; and  
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4. Further extensions may be granted subject to assessment by the MSBSP 
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Committee and approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies. 
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SEC. 9. Responsibilities of Beneficiary Enterprises. – Enterprises availing of the subsidy 
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shall:  
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(a) Submit quarterly payroll records and proof of wage payments; 
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(b) Retain employment levels and comply with labor standards; and 
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(c) Agree to random compliance audits by the MSBSP Committee. 
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Failure to comply shall result in suspension or revocation of subsidy eligibility 
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recovery of misused funds. 
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SEC. 10. Conditions for Granting Subsidies. – Qualified MSEs receiving subsidies and 
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cash grants under this Act shall provide:  
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(a) Employment Security – Employers shall not terminate employees receiving 
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wage subsidies without just cause during the period of wage support; 
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(b) Liquidation Requirement – MSE beneficiaries of asset-based cash assistance 
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shall submit a complete liquidation report, including official receipts or equivalent 
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proof of purchase, to the MSBSP Committee;  
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(c) Regulatory Compliance – Enterprises shall maintain active registration with 
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DTI, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue, 
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Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), 
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Pag-IBIG Fund, and other government regulatory agencies and social protection 
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programs, if applicable, and shall submit periodic compliance reports as required 
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by the MSBSP Committee; and  
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(d) Capacity Building Participation – Employers shall actively participate in 
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training, education, and capacity-building programs provided by the DTI through 
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Go Negosyo Centers, and other relevant programs designed to support 
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enterprise recovery, resilience, and growth.  
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SEC. 11. Monitoring and Compliance. – The Micro and Small Business Subsidy 
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Program (MSBSP) Committee, in coordination with the LGUs and other relevant agencies, shall 
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conduct periodic monitoring of SMEs availing of the subsidy program to ensure: 
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(a) Compliance with this Act, other legal frameworks for MSMEs, and with labor 
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laws; 
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(b) Retention of workforce levels as reported at the time of application; 
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(c) Accuracy of disbursement and utilization of subsidy funds; 
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(d) Financial disclosures of beneficiary MSEs; and  
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(e) Disclosure of other important information relative to the implementation of this 
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Act. 
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SEC. 12.  Reporting. – The DTI and DOLE, through the Micro and Small Business 
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Subsidy Program (MSBSP) Committee, shall submit a full annual report to Congress in the first 
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quarter of every year.  
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SEC. 13. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. – A Joint Congressional Oversight 
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Committee (JCOC) is hereby constituted to oversee, monitor, and evaluate the implementation 
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of this Act. 
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The JCOC shall be composed of five (5) members each from the House of 
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Representatives and from the Senate, which shall be co-chaired by the Chairpersons of the 
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House Committee on Trade and Industry and the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and 
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Entrepreneurship. This JCOC shall review the implementation of this Act and determine the 
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necessary remedial legislation or executive measures to strengthen the law. 
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SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the 
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effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, in coordination 
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with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), DOLE, Department of Budget 
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Management (DBM), DOF, and the BSP Governor, shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
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regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.  
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SEC. 15. Penalties. – Any person found to have committed fraud or misuse of subsidy 
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funds under this Act shall refund the full amount received and may be disqualified from future 
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government programs. Responsible government officers shall be held liable under existing civil 
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and criminal laws.  
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SEC. 16. Appropriations. – An initial Fifteen billion pesos (P15,000,000,000.00) is 
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hereby appropriated out of any funds actually available in the National Treasury of the 
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Philippines not otherwise appropriated, the unutilized MSME support funds, and international 
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grants. Thereafter, the subsequent amounts necessary for the full implementation of this Act 
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shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 17. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
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or invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, and regulations 
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inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
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SEC. 19. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect sixty (60) days after its publication in the 
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Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
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Approved, 
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