The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expanded access to medicine assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, with 238 Generika drugstores nationwide now accepting guarantee letters (GLs) for the purchase of medicines.
DSWD Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the expanded partnership is aimed at improving access to essential medicines for indigent and crisis-affected individuals, particularly those needing maintenance and prescribed medications.
A GL issued by the DSWD serves as a formal commitment to service providers, ensuring payment on behalf of qualified beneficiaries for medical and other approved assistance.
Dumlao said the GLs may be used to purchase a wide range of over-the-counter and prescription drugs available under Generika’s Actimed Generics line.
“As part of the Marcos Administration’s ongoing efforts to assist our poor countrymen with their medical needs, we are pleased to announce that you can now use DSWD-issued GLs to purchase maintenance medicines at Generika drugstores nationwide,” she said.
Participating drugstores will display a sign indicating “DSWD Guarantee Letter is accepted here” to guide beneficiaries.
The agency said it is also coordinating with other pharmaceutical companies to further expand the reach of the program and improve access to affordable medicines for more Filipinos.
The initiative builds on earlier partnerships, including Mercury Drug, which began accepting DSWD guarantee letters in 171 branches nationwide in 2024.
The AICS program serves as a social safety net mechanism providing financial and material assistance for medical, burial, transportation, food, and other urgent needs, alongside psychosocial and referral services for individuals assessed to be in crisis by social workers.