Ayuda ban enforced from May 2 to May 12 – Comelec

WITH the #BotoNgKabataan2025 just around the corner with the election month of May just a few days away, the Commission on Commission on Elections had reminded lawmakers and the Local Government units that they will be implementing an “ayuda ban” 10 days leading to the May 12 polls.

“May 2 hanggang May 12, bawal ang lahat ng klase ng ayuda,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in an interview over radio station DZBB.

Ayuda or payout is a form of cash assistance provided by the government. 

But according to Garcia, the 10-day ban covers Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), 4Ps, and the controversial Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).

“Hindi na ‘yan exempted… Bawal na itong ipamahagi, maliban na lang sa medical and burial assistance… ‘Yan lang ang exempted sa May 2 to 12,” he said.

Earlier, the said financial assistance programs were given exemptions from the polls spending ban by Comelec, explaining that there will be a ban on the distribution of ayuda 10 days leading to the May elections.

“Kakasuhan ang mga magbibigay o magpapatupad ng mga ayuda from May 2 to 12,” Garcia said.

The Omnibus Election Code, said that it is among the violations that constitute election offenses, punishable by imprisonment of not less than one year, but not more than six years, among other penalties provided for by law.

The Comelec has exempted the P20 per kilo Rice Project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) from the 45-day election spending ban ahead of the May 12 polls.

But they included certain guidelines for the exclusion, which includes the securing by local government units (LGUs) of separate certificates of exemption if they resell rice products at a lower price.

Ayuda for gambling?

Meanwhile, a former anti-graft official reiterated his call for Malacanang to review the payout system as several beneficiaries are reportedly simply using the government’s help to gamble.

According to former Presidential Anti-Graft Commissioner and CLICK Partylist First Nominee Atty. Nicasio “Nick” Conti, there is a silent yet growing crisis involving government aid, online gambling, and state revenue.

He revealed that they had received reports that the financial assistance or ayuda distributed to low-income Filipinos is increasingly being funneled into digital gambling platforms—particularly Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs)—instead of being spent on food, medicine, or basic needs.

Congressional inquiry

“The tragic irony is that what is meant to lift our people from hunger is ending up in online slot machines and bingo tables,” Conti said, adding that he is willing to bare to the Senate and Congress what they know about the matter.

“This isn’t just about misplaced priorities—it’s about a government that profits from the desperation of its own people,” he added.

Conti emphasized that PIGOs, which are accessible through mobile phones and apps, have become digital traps for the poor. “They gamble not because they want to, but because they’re clinging to hope that ₱500 can turn into ₱5,000 overnight,” he added.

He pointed out a disturbing correlation between government revenue and the rise of local online gambling. After the controversial ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in December 2024, revenue from PIGOs and electronic gambling surged.

According to official data from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), gaming revenue in 2024 reached ₱112 billion—up 41% from ₱79.4 billion in 2023. Net income also more than doubled to ₱16.77 billion. Notably, 50% of that revenue came from e-games and e-bingo operations, while POGOs contributed only 3.07% prior to the ban.

“This clearly shows that while we shut our doors to foreign gambling operators, we opened our homes to domestic ones—and it’s our poorest countrymen who are paying the price,” said Conti.

He warned that this setup turns government aid into “state-sanctioned betting capital,” subtly encouraging citizens to gamble instead of helping them escape poverty.

“Worse than the loss of money is the erosion of hope and values,” Conti said. “If we allow this to continue, we’re turning social welfare into state-enabled addiction.”

Conti urged for stronger regulation, financial education, and an end to policies that commodify poverty. “Let us not leave our people’s future to chance,” he concluded. “The resurrection reminds us that change is possible. It’s time we demand a government that gives hope—not just payouts.”