The Marcos administration has proposed allocating P33.285 billion for Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances (PSIFDC) under the Fiscal Year 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The program, which encompasses the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), sees a P6.256 billion, or 23.15 percent, increase over the Executive’s original P27.028 billion NEP proposal for FY 2026.
The increased allocation is targeted to assist 4.6 million vulnerable Filipinos needing immediate support for medical, burial, educational, food, transportation, and income loss emergencies.
In his FY 2027 Budget Message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the expansion as part of the administration’s social safety net strategy.
“We also continue to strengthen social protection programs to ensure that vulnerable Filipinos receive timely and meaningful government assistance,” Marcos said, noting that these safety nets ensure “no Filipino is left behind as our economy continues to grow.”
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) clarified that the 23.15 percent year-on-year increase compares the Executive’s proposed NEP levels submitted to Congress for FY 2026 and FY 2027. While the final enacted FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) reached P63.895 billion after legislative adjustments, the initial FY 2026 Executive proposal stood at P27.028 billion.
The proposed P33.285 billion AICS budget forms part of the broader P241.6 billion budget earmarked for the DSWD in the FY 2027 NEP. Overall, Social Services remains the largest sector in the proposed P7.2 trillion national budget, receiving P2.456 trillion across education, healthcare, social protection, employment and housing programs.