Eid Social Assistance and the Constitutional Promise: The State Must Be Present When People Are Most Vulnerable
By: Citra Kurnia Khudori
As Eid approaches, household needs among the public usually increase, ranging from food to various social necessities. At moments like these, the presence of the state through social assistance becomes crucial in maintaining purchasing power and the economic resilience of families.
Eid social assistance is not merely a routine government program, but also a tangible form of social protection for the most vulnerable communities. Amid price pressures and seasonal needs, such assistance acts as a buffer so that underprivileged families can still celebrate the holiday with dignity.
More broadly, social assistance policies actually have a strong constitutional foundation within the framework of a welfare state. The constitution affirms that the state has an obligation to protect all citizens and ensure the fulfillment of basic needs, especially when society faces its most vulnerable situations.
The government, through the Ministry of Social Affairs of Indonesia, has distributed social assistance worth Rp17.5 trillion ahead of Eid. This assistance forms part of the economic stimulus package for the first quarter of 2026.
The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf—widely known as Gus Ipul—explained that the government is distributing two types of social assistance targeting poor and vulnerable families. The first consists of regular assistance programs, namely basic food assistance and the Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH), which target around 18 million beneficiary families with a total budget allocation of Rp17.5 trillion.
The second type is adaptive social assistance aimed at disaster response. According to Saifullah Yusuf, this adaptive assistance includes support for disaster management in Sumatra and several other regions, with a budget allocation of Rp2.3 trillion.
In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs of Indonesia has also allocated funding for attention-based social assistance, known as social rehabilitation assistance programs. Altogether, the total social assistance budget disbursed this year reaches approximately Rp20 trillion.
Gus Ipul stated that, to date, the realization of social assistance distribution has reached around Rp17 trillion. The distribution process will continue as Eid approaches.
To ensure that social assistance reaches the intended recipients, the government continues to update the unified data system conducted by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). In the distribution process, the ministry uses various channels, including opening bank accounts for beneficiaries and distributing assistance through Pos Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, emphasized that the distribution of assistance is focused ahead of Eid to maintain public purchasing power while controlling the impact of inflation. The government’s primary focus remains on vulnerable groups so that the impact of global economic pressures and inflation can be minimized.
In addition to assistance distributed through the Ministry of Social Affairs of Indonesia, the government is also providing support in the form of rice and cooking oil. This program was formulated following a coordination meeting on national inflation control held in late January 2026.
The assistance covers allocations for February and March, delivered simultaneously in a single shipment. Each beneficiary family receives a total of 20 kilograms of rice and 4 liters of cooking oil for two months. Rice distribution is carried out by Perum Bulog, with hundreds of thousands of tons allocated nationally.
In the education sector, financial assistance is also distributed through the Program Indonesia Pintar (PIP) to support students from low-income families. PIP funds are provided to students from elementary school through senior high school or vocational school through student savings accounts at designated partner banks.
The first-quarter stimulus package for 2026 ahead of Eid also includes discounts on transportation tickets and toll road fare reductions. These policies are expected to support public mobility during the Eid travel season.
Beyond assistance for vulnerable groups registered in government data systems, the government has also ensured the provision of a Holiday Bonus for online motorcycle taxi drivers and couriers. The bonus amounts to 25 percent of the average net income earned by partner drivers over the past 12 months. The total holiday bonus provided by application companies has increased significantly from Rp110 billion in 2025 to Rp220 billion in 2026.
Public policy expert and professor at Trisakti University, Trubus Rahardiansah, stated that the holiday bonus policy is welcome news for ride-hailing drivers and reflects the tangible presence of the state in supporting society amid economic challenges.
On one hand, he explained, the state seeks to ensure the welfare of driver partners. On the other hand, the government also maintains the sustainability of application-based companies so that they remain healthy and competitive.
According to Trubus Rahardiansah, the Eid season carries significant social and economic meaning for ride-hailing drivers. Household needs increase during this period, while drivers often do not have the stable income certainty enjoyed by formal sector workers.
He emphasized that the state has stepped in to maintain balance and ensure that all parties can grow fairly and sustainably. This aligns with the vision of Prabowo Subianto to continuously improve the welfare of the Indonesian people.
Therefore, Eid social assistance should not be seen merely as a short-term economic instrument but rather as a concrete manifestation of the state’s constitutional responsibility to protect its citizens. The presence of the state at moments when society needs it most reinforces the principle that public policy must prioritize vulnerable groups and be distributed equitably. Through such commitment, the constitutional promise of social welfare does not remain merely a normative ideal but becomes a tangible reality in people’s daily lives.
The author is an observer of socio-economic issues.
