Senator Imee Marcos has questioned the paid video advertisement circulating on social media platforms in which she is being criticized for forgetting the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).
AKAP is a financial aid program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that Marcos earlier called "unnamed, unfamiliar, with no guidelines and no target beneficiaries."
"Kung bakit ba sa sila nag-a-ads para banatan ako? Talagang gumagastos. Sana gamitin na lang nila 'yun para sa mga mahihirap. Kung abalang-abala sila sa mahihirap at may pera silang extra, pamigay na lang. Huwag na birahin ako nang birahin [...] Kung ako ay binabanatan, patawarin na lang sila ng Panginoon," she said during the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday, February 29,
PANOORIN: Umalma si Sen. Imee Marcos sa mga paid advertisement laban sa kanya sa mga social media platform | RH28 @RaymundDadpaas #SamaSamaTayoPilipino pic.twitter.com/xHfS9LKL4T
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) February 29, 2024
The senator suspected that those who fear losing the billion pesos allocated for AKAP are behind the paid ad.
"Sa palagay ko yung mga natatakot ang twenty six billion AKAP. Eh hindi ko naman kasalanan, sinumbong lang sa akin 'di ba? Hindi ko nga alam eh," Marcos said.
She reminded the ad sponsors that power and position are temporary. "Ang abiso ko na lang sa lahat, hindi ka naman mananatili sa kapangyarihan at position forever. Walang forever sa politika. Sabi ng nanay ko, ang buhay daw namin ay parang tsubibo, nasa taas o 'di kaya nasa ibaba, kaya ngayon pa lang, matututo na yumuko at hold on."
The senator believes that Filipinos are smart enough to know that the circulating ad was paid.
A 1 minute and 48-second video ad, which has been popping up on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms, was uploaded by One Philippines last February 26.
The video advertisement titled "AKAP AMNESIA" asserts that Marcos and other senators appear to be suffering from amnesia following their denial that they knew about the P26.7 billion in DSWD's approved 2024 budget.
The video pointed out this seems to be impossible as Marcos and other Senators signed the bicameral conference report to fund the AKAP under the General Appropriations Act of 2024. "Bistado ka ngayon, Madam Imee. Lumalabas na nagkaroon na naman ng matinding amnesia o kaya naman ay likas na nagsinungaling si Senator Imee dahil hindi niya maalala na pumirma siya. Ang palusot pa niya, ang electronic signature lang niya umano ang nasa dokumento. Amensia ba 'yan or pathological liar lang itong si Madam?"
The "AKAP AMENSIA" currently has more than 120,000 views and 55 likes on YouTube.
