No family plans for the day they lose someone. But the bills come anyway: the wake, the funeral, the transport, the food for relatives who travel to pay their respects. For many households, these costs arrive at the exact moment income stops.
Mutual aid exists for that moment. Here is how it works at A&C, step by step.
What Mutual Aid Means
Mutual aid is a simple promise between people: when one of us is in need, the rest of us help. At A&C, that promise is organized so it works at scale.
Every member agrees to contribute a small amount each time a co-member passes away. Those contributions are pooled and given to the family as ₱120,000 in cash support. When your time comes, your family receives the same amount from everyone else.
There is no savings account in your name and nothing is invested. Your contributions go toward a family’s support today.
Why the Contributions Stay So Small
The secret is numbers. A&C groups members into clusters of 40,000 to 120,000+ people from neighboring towns and cities. When thousands of people each give a few pesos, the total quickly reaches ₱120,000.
Rates range from ₱0.63 to ₱5.80 per passing, depending on how many passings are reported in a day. As the number of passings goes up, the rate per passing goes down. That means your total for any day stays between ₱5.80 and ₱6.30, whether one member passed or ten.
A&C bases its rates on death-rate data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), focusing on the adult population, and builds in a safety cushion that can handle days with up to double the usual number of passings.
Contributions Happen Automatically
You don’t need to remember to pay. On days when a co-member passes away, your contribution is deducted automatically from your online account. Each day’s record shows how many passings were reported, the rate per passing, and the list of members being honored, so you always know exactly who your contribution supports.
Your only responsibility is keeping your online account funded. You can top up from your phone, or in person at a partner sari-sari store near you.
How a Family Receives Support
When a member passes away, the family calls the A&C hotline. A&C checks the member’s contribution record right away. Once the family submits the required documents, including the death certificate, the member’s online account ID and primary ID, a copy of the membership application, and the ID of the family member receiving support, the ₱120,000 is released within 2 to 7 days.
The family decides how to use it: the funeral, the wake, or keeping the household steady while they adjust.
Who Can Join
Membership is open to Filipino citizens aged 10 and above, with no upper age limit and no health restrictions. Every Regular Member’s family receives the same support, regardless of age or cause of death.
New members start with a 90-day probationary period. The ₱540 registration fee is paid gradually: start with a deposit of at least ₱50, and ₱6 is deducted automatically each day during probation. After 90 days, you become a Regular Member and your family is qualified for support.
The Bottom Line
Mutual aid works because it asks very little of each person and gives a great deal to each family. A few pesos on the days it’s needed. ₱120,000 when your family needs it most.