Close to 1 million Filipinos in need have received medical help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program in the first half of 2025. The agency reported that a total of 953,560 clients were assisted by the Operations Group Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), with more than PHP8.5 billion allocated for medical aid from January to June.
The majority of clients, totaling 670,825, received medical aid in the form of outright cash assistance, while 282,735 clients were provided with guarantee letters (GLs) to cover hospitalization costs, medicine, and diagnostic procedures. Outright cash assistance can reach up to PHP10,000, while GLs are typically issued to help clients settle hospital bills or purchase maintenance medications.
Additionally, the DSWD reported that 88,082 clients were served through Malasakit Centers located in public hospitals.
“Masaya po tayo na marami po tayong natutulungan, dahil mandato natin ay maabot ang mga nangangailangan nating kababayan to the best of our ability. Bilin din po ito ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. dahil para sa kanya ang bawat buhay mahalaga (We are happy to serve a lot of people because it is our mandate to reach out to fellow Filipinos in need. This is also in line with the directives of President Marcos, because for him, every life is precious),” said Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao in a news release on Wednesday.
Dumlao emphasized that the provision of medical assistance under the AICS continues to ensure that Filipinos struggling to cover the financial costs of their health and medical needs receive support from the government. “A sudden illness or medical emergency can cripple a family that is already struggling. The same can be said sa mga kliyente natin na kahit may kaya o kita pero ‘pag may nagkasakit sa pamilya, nahaharap sa malaking dagok at krisis (to our clients who, even though they have the means, were suddenly plunged into crisis when a family member gets sick). Through our AICS program, we provide appropriate support so they can avail of needed medical services or interventions, and eventually recover,” she explained.
The DSWD official assured that every client undergoes a thorough assessment by social workers to determine the amount of assistance provided, whether for maintenance medicines, crucial medical treatment, or ongoing illnesses requiring regular medical interventions. “Medical aid is one of the most concrete ways we fulfill our role as the lead agency in social safety nets. We do not want any Filipino to be left alone during their most vulnerable moment, and rest assured that the direction of the developments or innovations that we are leading are always for the best interest of our kababayans (compatriots),” Dumlao stated.
Among those who benefited from the AICS was Mary Rose Hermosure from Tondo, Manila, who sought medical help from the DSWD and received a GL amounting to PHP300,000 to pay for her mother’s hospital bill. She praised the professional yet swift assessment process she underwent, stating, “Although there was a line, the process was quick. The questions asked were basic, like why my mother was hospitalized, if it’s my first time to ask for assistance from the DSWD, those types of questions.”
Hermosure expressed her gratitude, saying, “Masaya po kami na natulungan kami sa ganoong kalaking halaga po. Malaking tulong po siya actually kung i-base mo dun sa amount po nung hospital bill namin sapat na po, kasi hindi ko po expect na ganito nga po ang ibibigay sa aking tulong eh (We are very happy to be helped with such a big amount. It was a big help, in fact it was sufficient to pay the hospital bill, and I was not expecting to be given this large assistance).”
The DSWD’s AICS has also played a crucial role in the successful treatment of an 18-month-old baby suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a serious form of blood cancer. Andy Paul Argao, the father of baby Audria, stated that the DSWD’s financial support was essential for ensuring that his baby received proper interventions. “Napakalaking tulong po ng naibigay po ng DSWD dahil naging maganda po ‘yung takbo ng kanyang chemotherapy (Her chemotherapy proceeded smoothly because of the big help provided by the DSWD),” Argao said.
According to the DSWD, Audria’s fight against cancer has shown significant improvement, and she is now on the path to full recovery. Since 2014, the DSWD’s AICS medical assistance program has served more than 8.5 million clients.
