BAM AQUINO BATS FOR P2,000 MONTHLY ALLOWANCE FOR  PWDS

SENATOR Bam Aquino is seeking to provide a P2,000 monthly disability support allowance to persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help cover disability-related costs and other essential expenses.

Under Senate Bill No. 2386 or the National Disability Support Act, qualified PWDs will receive the monthly allowance through a National Disability Support Allowance Program, with the amount subject to periodic adjustments based on inflation to preserve its value over time.

“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 measure proposes a phased implementation of the Disability Support Allowance Program. During the first three years, priority beneficiaries will include children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities.

In the next three years, coverage will be expanded to include persons with moderate disabilities who incur disability-related costs. Ultimately, the program will cover all eligible persons with disabilities who incur disability-related extra costs.

“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 persons with disabilities builds a more inclusive and equitable Philippines.

To ensure fair and responsive implementation, the measure mandates the creation of a Disability and Needs Assessment System (DNAS), which will determine eligibility based on an individual’s functional limitations, support needs, and barriers to participation rather than income alone.

The bill also establishes a Disability Management Information System (DMIS) linked to existing national databases — including the National ID System, the Philippine Persons with Disabilities Registry, PhilHealth, and community-based monitoring systems — to improve disability data, strengthen policymaking, enhance service delivery, and facilitate the direct payment of benefits to qualified beneficiaries.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will administer the program with support from 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.