SEN. Joel Villanueva has filed Senate Bill 2096, seeking to provide regular monthly financial assistance to 3 million persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the country.
Under the measure, a standing fund would be established under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to grant qualified PWDs a monthly stipend of P2,000, with the amount adjusted periodically to account for inflation.
”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 measure mandates the DSWD to administer the fund in coordination with the National Council on Disability Affairs and organizations representing PWDs. These groups will jointly determine eligibility criteria and oversee implementation guidelines.
The bill outlines a two-phase rollout over six years. During the first three years, priority beneficiaries would include children with disabilities, adults with moderate to severe disabilities who face significant barriers and PWDs already covered by existing government assistance programs such as the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens.
In the succeeding three years, the program would expand to include all indigent PWDs certified by the DSWD.
Besides a monthly cash allowance, the measure provides support for transportation, food and nutrition, maintenance medicines, rehabilitation services, assistive devices and technology, as well as preemployment and employment support services aimed at improving participation in the workforce.
To strengthen implementation and monitoring, the bill proposes the creation of a Disability Data Management System linked to the Community-Based Monitoring System, the National ID System and the Department of Health Persons with Disability Registry. The integrated database is intended to provide real-time information on beneficiaries and facilitate subsidized enrollment in PhilHealth.
The measure contains penalties against fraudulent enrollment. Individuals found guilty of enrolling ineligible beneficiaries may face fines ranging from P25,000 to P50,000 for a first offense and P50,000 to P100,000 for subsequent violations.
”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.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over the economic vulnerability of households caring for persons with disabilities. Data from the Department of Health as of April 7 showed that approximately 3 million Filipinos are living with some form of disability, including more than 1 million with physical disabilities, over 434,000 with speech impairments, nearly 398,000 with psychosocial disabilities, more than 303,000 with visual disabilities and close to 182,000 with mental disabilities.
A joint study by DSWD and United Nations Children’s Fund found that families raising children with disabilities experience poverty rates at least 50 percent higher than the national average.
Funding for the program would be sourced from the DSWD’s annual General Appropriations, with allocations required to increase progressively in line with the bill’s “progressive realization” principle aimed at expanding social protection coverage over time.
