Senator Villanueva proposes P2,000 monthly allowance for indigent PWDs

Senator Joel Villanueva has filed a measure seeking to provide a regular monthly cash allowance to around three million Filipinos living with disabilities, framing disability-related support as a matter of social justice rather than charity.

Under Senate Bill No. 2096, a permanent fund would be established under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to grant qualified persons with disabilities (PWDs) a monthly stipend of P2,000, subject to inflation adjustments.

"The responsibility rests on the State to exert greater effort to ensure that no citizen of theirs is left behind, and that individuals with disabilities are adequately supported to overcome the risks and barriers associated with their condition," Villanueva said.

The proposed fund would be administered by the DSWD in partnership with the National Council on Disability Affairs and PWD organizations, which would jointly determine the eligibility guidelines.

The measure outlines a two-phase implementation. During the first three years, priority beneficiaries would include children with disabilities, adults with moderate to severe disabilities facing major barriers, and PWDs already receiving government social protection programs such as the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens. Over the next three years, coverage would expand to all indigent PWDs certified by the DSWD.

Aside from the monthly allowance, the fund would also cover transportation, food and nutrition, maintenance medicines, rehabilitation services, assistive devices and technology, as well as pre-employment and employment support services.

The bill also seeks to establish a Disability Data Management System linked to the Community-Based Monitoring System, the National ID System, and the Department of Health’s PWD Registry to allow real-time data sharing and subsidized PhilHealth enrollment.

To deter abuse, the proposal imposes penalties on individuals who fraudulently enroll ineligible beneficiaries. First-time violators may face fines ranging from P25,000 to P50,000, while repeat offenders could be fined between P50,000 and P100,000.

"This proposed measure aims to promote inclusion, reduce inequality, and empower persons with disabilities to live with dignity and actively participate in nation-building," Villanueva said.

Data from the Department of Health as of April 7, 2026, showed that about three million Filipinos are living with disabilities, including more than one million with physical disabilities, alongside hundreds of thousands with speech, psychosocial, visual, and mental disabilities.

A joint study by the DSWD and UNICEF also found that households raising children with disabilities experience poverty rates at least 50 percent higher than the national average.

The bill provides that funding for the program would be included in the DSWD’s annual budget and gradually increased in line with its principle of progressive realization.

-Paraluman News