The Manila City Council (MCC) announced on Saturday, Sept. 23, that it passed an ordinance that provides an additional P500 for the monthly allowance of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the city.
The 12th MCC council passed City Ordinance No. 8534 on the same day that it was filed by Manila Third District Councilor Pamela “Fa” G. Furguso last Sept. 19.
In her speech, Fugoso said “The ordinance will give an additional budget for minor PWDs to lessen the burden to their families. This P500 monthly monetary allowance will make these children happier. And the listing and verification will fall under the supervision of the Manila Department of Social Welfare Office.”
The city government said that before the passage of the ordinance, it had been providing PWDs their monthly allowances since 2019.
It noted that beneficiaries under this ordinance must be qualified in the following criteria:
- Only persons with disabilities 59 and below are qualified to avail of the Php 500.00 monthly monetary allowance;
- Must be a registered voter of the City of Manila; provided, however, that if the PWD does not qualify as a registered voter of the City of Manila due to a disability or if he/she is a minor, the PWD parents or legal guardian must be a registered voter(s) in the City of Manila;
- Must be a bona fide resident of the City of Manila for the last six months and;
- Must be included in the master list of the Manila Department of Social Welfare Office
Ernesto Isip Jr., third district councilor and MCC's majority floor leader, also stressed that the young beneficiaries of the said monthly allowance “must be registered voters of the City of Manila.”
It can be recalled that under the 11th MCC, City Ordinance 8565 providing a monthly allowance for qualified beneficiaries was first enacted on July 22, 2019, but it was later amended by City Ordinance 8756 on June 14, 2021.