Senator Aquino seeks P2,000 monthly allowance for PWDs

Senator Bam Aquino is pushing for a P2,000 monthly allowance for qualified persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help cover additional costs associated with their disabilities and other essential expenses.

Under Senate Bill No. 2386, or the National Disability Support Act, the allowance would be distributed through a proposed National Disability Support Allowance Program. The amount would also be periodically adjusted based on inflation to maintain its purchasing power.

“Persons with disabilities face additional and often invisible expenses in their daily lives, including transportation, healthcare, personal assistance, and assistive devices. These are essential not only for survival, but for participation in school, work, and community life. When these expenses are not addressed, opportunities are limited, poverty is deepened, and exclusion persists,” Aquino said.

“This allowance is designed to complement existing social protection programs and empower persons with disabilities to live more independently, pursue education and employment, and participate more actively in society,” he added.

The bill proposes to roll out the program in phases.

During its first three years, priority would be given to children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities. Coverage would then be expanded over the succeeding three years to persons with moderate disabilities who incur additional disability-related costs.

The program would eventually cover all qualified PWDs who incur extra expenses because of their disabilities.

“By strengthening income support, this measure helps ensure that persons with disabilities are not only supported, but empowered to live independently and participate fully in society,” Aquino stressed, adding that empowering PWDs would contribute to a more inclusive and equitable Philippines.

The proposed law would also establish a Disability and Needs Assessment System (DNAS) to determine eligibility. Rather than relying solely on income, the system would consider an individual's functional limitations, support requirements and barriers to participation.

Aquino's measure also calls for the creation of a Disability Management Information System (DMIS) that would be linked to existing government databases, including the National ID System, the Philippine Persons with Disabilities Registry, PhilHealth and community-based monitoring systems.

The system would be used to improve disability-related data, inform policymaking, strengthen service delivery and facilitate the direct release of benefits to qualified recipients.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would administer the program with the assistance of a Multi-Stakeholder Committee led by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

“In empowering persons with disabilities, we are not only addressing inequality, but also unlocking potential, strengthening communities, and building a more inclusive and equitable Philippines,” Aquino said.