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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bam Aquino bats for monthly P2,000 support allowance for PWDs

Bam Aquino bats for monthly P2,000 support allowance for PWDs

Published Aug 8, 2026 11:08 am

At A Glance

  • Sen. Bam Aquino is proposing a P2,000 monthly allowance for qualified persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help cover disability-related expenses such as transportation, healthcare, personal assistance and assistive devices.
  • The proposed National Disability Support Allowance Program would be rolled out in phases, initially prioritizing children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities before expanding coverage to those with moderate disabilities and eventually all eligible PWDs with extra disability-related costs.
  • Senate Bill No. 2386 would establish systems to assess eligibility and improve benefit delivery, including a Disability and Needs Assessment System and a Disability Management Information System linked to existing government databases.
Senator Bam Aquino is pushing for the creation of a monthly P2,000 disability support allowance for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help them cover additional costs associated with their condition.
Senator Bam Aquino (Senate PRIB photo)
Senator Bam Aquino (Senate PRIB photo)
Under Senate Bill (SB) No. 2386, or the National Disability Support Act, qualified PWDs would receive the allowance through a proposed National Disability Support Allowance Program. The benefit would also be periodically adjusted based on inflation to ensure that its value is maintained 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 proposed program would be implemented in phases.
For its first three years, the program would prioritize children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities. Coverage would then be expanded during the succeeding three years to include PWDs with moderate disabilities who incur disability-related expenses.
Eventually, all eligible PWDs who face additional costs because of their disabilities would be covered by the program.
“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,” said Aquino, who stressed that greater support for PWDs would contribute to a more inclusive and equitable Philippines.
The bill also proposes the establishment of a Disability and Needs Assessment System (DNAS) to determine eligibility. Instead of relying solely on income, the system would assess an individual's functional limitations, support requirements and barriers to participation.
Aquino's measure further calls for the creation of a Disability Management Information System (DMIS), which would be connected to existing government databases such as the National ID System, the Philippine Persons with Disabilities Registry, PhilHealth and community-based monitoring systems.
The system is intended to improve the government's disability data, support policymaking and service delivery, and enable the direct release of benefits to qualified recipients.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would oversee the program, with assistance from a Multi-Stakeholder Committee headed 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.

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Bam Aquino Persons with Disabilities Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
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