Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4469

Introduced by: HONORABLE MARISOL C. PANOTES,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The granting of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) has been a part of the
Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) protective services program for the
poor, marginalized and vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals as part of its technical assistance
and resource augmentation support to local government units and other partners. In the few
decades of the existence of this program, it has already benefited hundreds of thousands of poor
people. especially those in the far-flung areas.

As the centerpiece of the Protective Service Program, the DSWD extends financial and/or
material assistance by providing monetary support in the form of outright cash and/or guarantee
letter to service providers to augment the resources of the target beneficiaries, which include, but
nnot limited to. transportation assistance, medical assistance, burial assistance, and educational
assistance

The type. kind and amount of financial assistance provided to target beneficiaries are
based on the assessment and recommendation of the social workers and/authorized personnel,
duly approved by the authorized official or officials of the DSWD

Due to the immense success of the program in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable and
disadvantaged individuals. there is a need to make this permanent that whoever will govern the
country, the granting of the AICS will stay so that the marginalized individuals and families
needing immediate intervention may have access to basic serviees from the government.

The foregoing reasons warrant the immediate approval of this important piece of

legislation
warn -ANOTES,
‘epresentative

Second District, Camarines Norte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4469
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HONORABLE MARISOL C. PANOTES

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE GRANTING OF ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS
IN CRISIS SITUATION (AICS) PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION I. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Assistance to
Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights.
Toward this end, the disadvantaged individuals, families and communities must be
liberated from the quagmire of poverty by providing assistance, projects, programs and
services geared towards alleviating poverty and an improved quality of life for every
Filipino, especially the marginalized sector

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall
mean

a. Target Beneficiaries refer to individuals and/or families who are indigent,
vulnerable, disadvantaged or are otherwise in crisis situation based on the
assessment of the social workers;

b. National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) refers
to the data and an information management system that identifies who and where
are the poor in the Philippines;


© Crisis Situation refers to a condition whereby an individual or group of persons
are faced with a different and stressful situation resulting to the impairment of
hishher psychosocial functioning thereby needing series of interventions to
prevent further exposure to vulnerabilities, exploitation and abuse; and

d_ Financial and/or Material Assistance refers to the provision of monetary support
in the form of outright cash and/or guarantee letter to service providers to
augment the resources of the client, which include, but not limited to,
transportation assistance, medical assistance, burial assistance, and educational
assistance.

SEC. 4, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS). - Each qualified
target beneficiary shall receive financial and/or material assistance equivalent to at least
Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) and, in extremely justifiable cases, the amount of
assistance shall not exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).

SEC. 5. Type, Kind and Amount of Financial Assistance. - The type, kind and
amount of financial assistance to be provided to target beneficiaries shall be based on the
assessment and recommendation of the social workers and/authorized personnel, duly
approved by the authorized official or officials of the DSWD.

Appropriate documentation shall support all disbursements of funds based on the
Social Case Study Report for each target beneficiary

SEC. 6, Implementing Rules and Regulations.- Within six (6) months from the
tivity of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out
the provisions of this Act

SEC. 7. Appropriation. ~The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law
and thereafter

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees ‘or issuances,
executive orders, letter of instructions, administrative orders, rules and regulations

contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, repealed,
or modified accordingly

SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,