Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
Constitution Hills, Quezon City ‘ : Zi

LATESSEP 02 20

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 7571

Introduced by Hon. KRISTINE ALEXIE BESAS TUTOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Persons with disabilities are among the most adversely affected by the economic impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic.

To augment current government assistance programs for PWDs, this bill establishes a Social
Pension Program for all registered PWDs. The social pension shall be in the amount of one
thousand pesos (P1,000.00) per month which may be disbursed on a quarterly, semi-annual,
or annual basis as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the DSWD.

The DSWD PWD Social Pension shall be separate from the national Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) and stipend programs of local government units sourcing their available
local funds and from their share in the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). Senior citizens
already enrolled and availing of DSWD social pension are excluded from the PWD social
pension.

This bill also tasks the Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Council on
Disability Affairs, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, National Privacy Commission,
and the Philippine Statistics Authority to establish a National Persons with Disability (PWD)
Registry. The Registry shall be a verified, secured, and shared access consolidated national
database on all Filipino PWDs based on a detailed national household inventory.

The Registry data shall serve as the bases for the special PWD classification and marking by
the Philippine Identification System for the issuance of the PhilSys National ID and consequent
availment for benefits due as PWD.

This bill also mandates the Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Small
Business Corporation, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shall coordinatively undertake the
inclusive access to and availment of PWDs of their respective microfinance, microinsurance,
and microenterprise programs and projects.


PWD microfinance, microinsurance, and microenterprise beneficiaries shall be entitled to
lower than prevailing interest rates. Access to the programs shall be marked with added
emphasis on the application of new technologies, specific processes for persons of different
types of disabilities, and active involvement of private enterprises engaged in the provision of
microfinance, microinsurance, and microenterprise access and services.

This bill also authorizes the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Securities and
Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local
Government, and Department of Justice to establish and implement special protection policies
and measures for PWDs against loan sharks, investment scammers, estafa, and all other forms
of financial fraud,

This bill provides that the PWD social pension and funds received from availment of
microfinance, microinsurance, and microenterprise programs are prohibited from being used
as collateral or be subjected to any deductions of any kind at any time for the availment of any
loans issued by private entities and individuals.

Cognizant of possible availability of funds issues, the bill provides that PWD Social Pension
may be implemented in phases with urgent priority to PWDs residing in municipalities
classified as 3rd, 4th, Sth, and 6th class according to their income level as ascertained by the

Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance.

In view of the foregoing swift passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

KRISTINE BESAS TUTOR

Representative, Bohol - Third District


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session

House BILL No. 7971

Introduced by: Hon, KRISTINE ALEXIE BESAS TUTOR

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE,
SOCIAL PENSION, AND FINANCIAL PROTECTION FOR FILIPINO PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES, AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section I. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the Persons With Disabilities
Financial Resilience Act.

Sec. 2. National PWD Registry. The Department of Social Welfare and
Development, National Council on Disability Affairs, Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation, National Privacy Commission, and the Philippine
Statistics Authority shall establish a National Persons With Disability (PWD)
Registry, a verified, secured, and shared access consolidated national database on
all Filipino PWDs based on a detailed national houschold inventory. The
Registry data shall serve as the bases for the special PWD classification and
marking by the Philippine Identification System for the issuance of the PhilSys
National ID and consequent availment for benefits due as PWD.

Sec. 3. Microfinance, Microinsurance, and Microenterprise. The Department
of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Small Business Corporation, and
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shall coordinatively undertake the inclusive access
to and availment of PWDs of their respective microfinance, microinsurance, and
microenterprise programs and projects with lower than prevailing interest rates
and with added emphasis on the application of new technologies, specific
processes for persons of different types of disabilities, and active involvement of


private enterprises engaged in the provision of microfinance, microinsurance,
and microenterprise access and services.

Sec. 4. Monthly Social Pension. The Department of Social Welfare and
Development shall establish and implement a Social Pension Program for all
registered PWDs. The social pension shall be in the amount of one thousand pesos
(P1,000.00) per month which may be disbursed on a quarterly, semi-annual, or
annual basis as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the DSWD. The
DSWD PWD Social Pension shall be separate from the national Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and stipend programs of local government
units sourcing their available local funds and from their share in the Internal
Revenue Allotment (IRA). Senior citizens already enrolled and availing of
DSWD social pension are excluded from the PWD social pension.

Sec. 5. Protection from Loan Sharks and Financial Scams. The Department
of Social Welfare and Development, Securities and Exchange Commission,
Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local
Government, and Department of Justice shall establish and implement special
protection policies and measures for PWDs against loan sharks, investment
scammers, estafa, and all other forms of financial fraud. The PWD social pension
and funds received from availment of microfinance, microinsurance, and
microenterprise programs are prohibited from being used as collateral or be
subjected to any deductions of any kind at any time for the availment of any loans
issued by private entities and individuals.

Sec. 6. Funding, Funding for this Act shall come from the annual appropriations
of the concerned implementing agencies.

Scc. 7. Phased Implementation. Cognizant of the availability of funds, the
PWD Social Pension may be implemented in phases with urgent priority to PWDs
residing in municipalities classified as 3", 4", 5", and 6" class according to their
income level as ascertained by the Bureau of Local Government Finance of the
Department of Finance.

Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. All implementing rules and
regulations necessary to enforce this Act must be issued and in effect not later
than ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take place fifteen (15) days after publication
in two newspapers of national general circulation.