Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE UNIVERSAL DISABILITY SUPPORT ALLOWANCE 
FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the Philippines, persons with disabilities represent at least 12% of 
the adult population and face significant barriers in accessing education and 
health care, community and citizenship participation, and seizing economic 
opportunities. As a result, half of them are out of work and those who work 
are less likely to have formal employment and are more likely to be poor, to 
have finished only primary education or none at all, and to not receive the 
health care they need. 
In overcoming these barriers, persons with disabilities and their 
families face significant additional disability costs related to accessing 
essential services, seeking and retaining work, and participating in society. 
These costs include private transportation, support for information and 
communication, assistive devices, and human assistance. 
In addition, due to the lack of support services, most of those requiring 
personal assistance have to rely on family members who have to reduce or 
stop working to provide such support. Overall, persons with disabilities have 
less income and more expenses than those without disabilities, which greatly 
increase their vulnerability, and undermine their economic empowerment and 
escape from poverty. 
In the last decades, successive governments have adopted a set of 
measures to support persons with disabilities. This includes the disability 
November 7, 2022
8:20 am
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discount that grants 20% off to persons with disabilities, the mandatory and 
subsidized PhilHealth membership, which is supposed to cover the healthcare 
needs of persons with disabilities, and the 4Ps program, which invests in the 
education of indigent children, including those with disabilities. While those 
measures aim to improve the socio-economic situation of persons with 
disabilities, they have significant limitations in who can benefit from them. 
 
The discount and tax exemptions are beneficial only to persons with 
disabilities with already a certain level of income and purchasing power, and 
mostly in urban areas where there are establishments that can fulfill official 
requirements. Moreover, for the PhilHealth and 4Ps programs, barriers to 
actually accessing those services remain unaddressed, such as lack of sign 
language interpreters in facilities and inaccessible public transportation to 
service centers. In other words, there are still major gaps in the adequacy of 
the programs’ coverage and accessibility, which leave most persons with 
disabilities unsupported. 
 
Under current circumstances, the COVID-19 crisis has intensified the 
economic vulnerabilities of persons with disabilities and highlighted the limits 
of the current social protection system to immediately respond to protect 
persons with disabilities and their families from the socio-economic impact of 
the pandemic. While the vast majority has experienced loss of income and has 
multiple needs, due to the limitation of the current social protection systems 
and despite the government efforts to roll out new measures, most persons 
with disabilities have not yet received any support. 
 
The urgency of the matter is of utmost importance. According to the 
United Nations, the people’s capacity to manage and overcome shocks, 
especially during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, is enhanced when 
comprehensive social protection systems are in place. Such is the case of the 
4Ps Program wherein all beneficiaries were reported to have immediately 
received emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program of the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) two weeks after the 
approval of the law. 
 
Given the ensuing problem, this bill seeks to adopt a monthly universal 
Disability Support Allowance of Two Thousand Pesos (PhP 2,000.00) that will 
address some of the critical issues faced by persons with disabilities and their 
families. Unlike with other social protection programs such as SSS and GSIS, 
where beneficiaries can lose their disability pensions when acquiring 
employment, the Disability Support Allowance shall be applicable to 
registered persons with disabilities regardless of employment status, as well 
as income level and/or receipt of other social protection benefits. 


 
Furthermore, in consideration of the available fiscal space for the 
program, the Disability Support Allowance will be progressively rolled out 
across the country starting with minors with disabilities until all registered 
persons with disabilities are covered. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE UNIVERSAL DISABILITY SUPPORT ALLOWANCE 
FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Disability Support 
Allowance for Persons with Disabilities Act.”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to 
adopt the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law 
of the land. It is likewise vital that the State advances social justice in order 
to end poverty in all its forms, particularly the historical deprivation of the 
support required by persons with disabilities for their effective inclusion and 
full participation in the society. 
To attain a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and 
independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies 
that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising 
standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all, appropriate measures 
in developing social protection programs and personal budget allowances that 
recognize the additional costs associated with disability to live independently 
and be included in the community shall be undertaken. In pursuance to this 
end, social protection measures such as the grant of disability support 
allowance shall be extended to persons with disabilities to support their 
independent living. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For the purposes of this Act, these terms 
are defined as follows: 
a) Barriers: are anything that hinders persons with disabilities from
enjoying or exercising all human rights and fundamental freedoms
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in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field, 
on an equal basis with others. Barriers in all its forms encompass 
inaccessible physical environments and transportation; the 
unavailability of assistive devices and technologies; inaccessible 
information both in form and content; non-adapted means of 
communication; gaps in service delivery such as unavailability of 
personal assistance and sign language interpretation service; 
discrimination including denial of reasonable accommodation; 
attitude, prejudice and stigma in society; programs, policies and 
laws infringing the rights of persons with disabilities as recognized 
under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 
b) Disability: is an evolving concept that results from the interaction 
between 
persons 
with 
impairments 
and 
attitudinal 
and 
environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective 
participation in society on an equal basis with others; 
c) Disability Assessment and Determination: means the process by 
which disability of an individual is officially recognized for the 
purpose of eligibility determination to diverse entitlements. It is 
based on a human rights model of disability, with a focus on 
functional 
limitations, 
support 
requirements 
and 
barriers 
restricting inclusion and participation; 
d) Disability-related 
needs: 
Disability-related 
needs 
include 
disability-related medical supplies (e.g., medicines, catheters, 
diapers), medical-related services (e.g., rehabilitation services, 
etc.) assistive products, personal assistance, sign language 
interpreter, higher cost of accessing services because of lack of 
accessibility (e.g., transportation cost), and others; 
e) Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPD): OPDs are led, 
directed and governed by persons with disabilities with a clear 
majority of their membership being recruited among persons with 
disabilities themselves. Examples of OPDs include organizations 
of women with disabilities, impairment-specific organizations 
such as organizations of persons of psychosocial disability, 
parents representing children with disabilities, cross-disability 
organizations, specific health conditions recognized under the 
Philippine law such as patients and survivor of cancer, persons 
with rare diseases, and all other organizations of persons with 
disabilities as recognized under the Convention on the Rights of 
Persons with Disabilities; 
f) Persons with Disabilities: include those who have long-term 
physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in 
interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective 
participation in society on an equal basis with others. Persons who 
may fall in this definition are, but not limited to, the following: 
persons with psychosocial disability, person with autism, person 
with down syndrome, person who are blind, person with low 
vision, person with hard of hearing, deaf, person with rare 
diseases, and all other person who will be certified under the 
disability assessment and determination system; 


g) Progressive realization: means undertaking measures to the 
maximum of its available resources and, where needed, within the 
framework of international cooperation, with a view to achieving 
progressively the full realization of these rights, without prejudice 
to those obligations contained in the CRPD that are immediately 
applicable according to international law; 
h) Reasonable accommodation: means necessary and appropriate 
modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or 
undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to 
persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal 
basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; 
i) Universal: every registered person with disability. 
 
SECTION 4. Coverage. – Subject to progressive roll-out, all persons with 
disabilities with disability ID card, as identified by the Disability Assessment 
and Determination System that is based on a human rights approach, shall 
be eventually covered by the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 5. Disability Support Allowance Program. – There shall be a 
Disability Support Allowance Program established under the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The Disability Support Allowance 
Program shall be developed with the National Council on Disability Affairs 
(NCDA), Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, 
Philippine Statistics Authority, Local Government Units, representatives from 
organizations of persons with disabilities with different perspectives and 
ideological persuasions, and other relevant stakeholders. 
 
To complement existing measures made for persons with disabilities by 
providing supplementary income to the sector, this bill seeks to adopt a 
monthly universal Disability Support Allowance of Two Thousand Pesos (Php 
2,000.00), which will be indexed to inflation to preserve its impact on the 
standards of living and participation of persons with disabilities.  
 
SECTION 6. Eligibility. – 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. 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. 
 
SECTION 7. Progressive Rollout. The program shall be implemented in three 
(3) phases: 
 
a) Phase 1 - The initial phase will be implemented within a maximum 
time frame of three (3) years and will seek to cover all persons with 
disabilities who are 17 years old and below. 
 


b) Phase 2 - The second phase will be implemented within a 
maximum time frame of three (3) years and will seek to expand the 
coverage of Phase 1 to persons with disabilities who are 18 to 59 
years old. 
 
c) Phase 3 - The final phase will seek to expand the coverage of Phase 
2 to the rest of the population of persons with disabilities.  
 
SECTION 8. Disability Data Management System. – In conjunction with 
the rollout of the Disability Support Allowance Program, a Disability Data 
Management System (DDMS) that is linked to the Community-Based 
Monitoring System (CBMS) will be developed towards collecting data that will 
inform the design and implementation of this program, as well as other social 
protection measures. The DDMS shall contain comprehensive information on 
persons with disabilities that is essential to their independent living, 
including, but not limited to, information of their health conditions, their 
unmet needs, the barriers they face in their environment and their support 
requirements for effective inclusion and participation. This system will 
contribute to realizing the enjoyment of rights and fundamental freedoms of 
persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. 
 
SECTION 9. Policy on Disability Identification Cards. – The issuance of 
Disability Identification Cards pursuant to Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise 
known as the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities,” as amended by R.A. 
No. 9442, along with other relevant laws, administrative issuances and local 
ordinances, shall be linked to the DDMS to enhance the information system 
of persons with disabilities necessary for the granting of the monthly disability 
support allowance and future social assistance to eligible persons with 
disabilities. 
 
SECTION 10. Penal Provisions. – The penalties shall apply to the following: 
 
a) Any person who through fraud or misrepresentation applies for, 
or aids in the application for benefits under this law without being 
a qualified person with disability entitled thereto shall suffer the 
following penalties: 
i. 
For the first violation, a fine of not less than Twenty-five 
thousand pesos (Php25,000.00) but not exceeding Fifty 
thousand pesos (Php50,000.00); and 
ii. 
For any subsequent violation, a fine of not less than Fifty 
thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not exceeding One 
hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00). 
 
b) Any person violating any provision of this Act and its implementing 
rules and regulations, except violations pertaining to Subsection 
(a) of this Section, shall be penalized with a fine of not less than 
Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) but not exceeding One 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php100,000.00). 
 


SECTION 
11. 
Appropriations. – 
The 
amount 
necessary 
for 
the 
implementation of the Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter. The 
initial amount of which shall be determined by the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Council on Disability Affairs 
(NCDA), and representatives from other major stakeholders including 
organizations of persons with disabilities. The allocated budget for the first 
year of its operation shall gradually increase in view of progressive realization. 
 
SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within one hundred 
and twenty (120) days from the affectivity of this Act, the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development, in consultation with the National Council on 
Disability Affairs, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department 
of Health, Philippine Statistics Authority, representatives from organizations 
of persons with disabilities with different perspectives and ideological 
persuasions, and other relevant stakeholders from government agencies and 
non-government organizations, shall issue the necessary rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 13. Report to Congress. – The Department of Social Welfare and 
Development and National Council on Disability Affairs shall annually submit 
a report to Congress about the status of the implementation of this Act for the 
purpose of review and recommendation of additional measures necessary for 
the attainment of the objectives of this Act. 
 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any provision of this 
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, parts or provisions of this Act 
which are not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 15. Non-Impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed as to diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or 
made available to disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under 
existing laws. 
 
SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential 
decrees, Implementing Rules and Regulations inconsistent with this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 17. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
  
Approved,