By Kristianne Andrade
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna —Over 1.8 million Calabarzon residents have received financial aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) since 2024 under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).
The program aligns with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the swift and efficient delivery of aid, reaffirming the “Bawat Buhay Mahalaga” vision of Bagong Pilipinas.
According to DSWD Calabarzon, a total of 1,833,996 individuals have been provided with financial support since 2024 to help them cope with various economic shocks such as illness, hospitalization, or the death of a family member. Of this number, 587,000 individuals were assisted in the first half of 2025.
“If there’s death in the family or hospitalization, you can’t prepare for it, so we are helping them get back on track and recover. With the assistance that we give, it will help them be productive, start anew, and provide again for their needs,” said Regional Director Barry Chua of DSWD Calabarzon.
DSWD emphasized that the provision of financial assistance under the program is based on the assessment and interview conducted by social workers, as well as the status of the clients.
According to DSWD data in 2024, a total of 1,246,996 individuals were assisted through the AICS program, with a total amount of P5.13 billion disbursed to cover medical, subsistence, burial, and educational needs.
To enhance the efficiency of aid delivery, DSWD partnered with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) to implement hybrid digital payments and streamlined disbursement methods.
“We started the implementation of hybrid digital payment of financial assistance in Batangas City last January 17, 2025, with 577 clients receiving a total of 1.8 million in medical or burial assistance. This is for efficient disbursement and minimizes security risks for DSWD personnel by handling large amounts of cash during payouts,” Chua explained.
Through guarantee letters (GLs), the AICS program now allows access to medical assistance via selected branches of the leading drugstore chain, Mercury Drug. These GLs ensure that the government covers the cost of products and services, including medicines, provided by partner service providers.
“In Calabarzon there are five participating Mercury Drug outlets accepting guarantee letters, including Bayanan in Bacoor City, P. Guevarra Sta. Cruz in Laguna, Kumintang Ilaya in Batangas City, Cathedral in Antipolo City, and Merchan in Lucena City.”
One of the AICS beneficiaries, Donna Talucod, 43, a resident of Victoria, Laguna, whose husband is a kidney transplant patient, expressed gratitude to the government for the help provided by the program.
“The assistance I received through GL helped me ease the financial burden on my shoulders, and getting the medicines at the nearest Mercury Drug assured me of quality medicine. This is such a big help,” Talucod said.
Chua reaffirmed DSWD Calabarzon’s commitment to assisting individuals and families through its social protection programs, underscoring the agency’s goal to uplift those in crisis situations.
