Fixed P2,000 monthly allowance for all PWDs pushed

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has called for support regarding a proposal that seeks a P2,000 monthly allowance for all persons with disabilities (PWDs) regardless of their employment status, in commemoration of the International Day of People with Disability.

In a statement on Friday, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas said that he has filed House Bill (HB) No. 3770 or the proposed Disability Support Allowance for Persons with Disabilities Act, which pushes for stronger support to PWDs, so that “long-standing socioeconomic barriers” can be addressed.

HB No. 3770, if enacted, establishes the Disability Support Allowance Program, a universal P2,000 monthly assistance that will be “indexed to inflation to preserve its impact on the  standards of living and participation of persons with disabilities.”

According to Vargas, the reality is that PWDs often experience hardships compared to the rest of the population — which is why the government must assist them.

“Hindi pantay ang lipunan, lalo na para sa mga persons with disability. Kaya tungkulin nating isa-isahin at ayusin ang mga bagay na naglalagay sa kanila sa dehado,” Vargas said after the International Day of People with Disability last December 3.

(Society is not equal, especially for persons with disabilities.  That’s why it is our duty to address this inequality and fix issues that place them at a disadvantage.)

Under Section 5 of the bill, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will be the implementing agency, while the following agencies will be in charge of developing the Disability Support Allowance Program:

• National Council on Disability Affairs
• Department of Interior and Local Government
• Department of Health
• Philippine Statistics Authority
• local government units
• representatives from organizations of PWDs
• other relevant stakeholders

All PWDs with a valid disability ID will get the monthly aid, regardless of employment status and income level. 

It would also not discriminate against recipients of the government’s conditional cash transfer program and those receiving other discounts like those for senior citizens.

“This allowance shall be applicable to all persons with disabilities with disability ID card regardless of their employment status, as well as income level and/or receipt of other social protection benefits such as 4Ps and social pension for indigent senior citizens,” the bill read.

“In support of progressive roll-out, a disability data management system will be established to identify the population of persons with disabilities to be prioritized in the  progressive implementation of the program,” it added.

There would be three phases for the measure’s implementation, in case it is signed into law by the President:

• Initial phase to be implemented within a maximum time frame of three years and will cover all PWDs aged 17 and below
• Second phase to be implemented within a maximum time frame of three years thereafter and will expand the coverage of Phase 1 to include PWDs aged 18 to 59
• Final phase will expand the coverage to the rest of the PWD population