Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Persons with disabilities represent at least 12% of the Philippine adult population, 
according to the 2016 National Disability Prevalence Survey. Disabilities often come 
with challenges to accessing education, health care and economic opportunities.  
The bill proposes to establish the Disability Support Allowance Program under the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development. The program shall be implemented 
in three (3) phases, with the First Phase giving priority to children and adults with 
disabilities encountering the most severe barriers and disability-related costs. Phase 
Two shall include those who have either no income or low level of Income, and Phase 
Three shall begin to progressively include all persons with disabilities. 
In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 22, 2023
11:39 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
TITLE AND DECLARATION OF POLICY 
SEC. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Disability Support Allowance 
for Persons with Disabilities Act". 
SEC. 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 advance 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 society. 
To attain a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and 
independence of the nation and free the people form 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 
8223 


protection programs and allowances that recognize the additional costs associated 
with disability 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. 
SEC. 3. Definition of terms. – For the purposes of this Act, these terms are defined 
as follows: 
a)
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, persons who are blind, person with low vision, person with
hard of hearing, deaf, person with rare diseases, and all other persons who will
be certified under the disability assessment and determination system;
b)
Disability is an evolving concept that results from the interaction between
persons with Impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder
their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others;
c)
Barriers are anything that hinders persons with disabilities from enjoying or
exercising all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political,
economic, social, cultural, civil, or any other filed, 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; nonadapted 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;
d)
Reasonable accommodation means necessary and appropriate modification
and adjustments so as not to impose disproportionate or undue burden, and to
ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy or exercise on an equal basis all


 
human rights and fundamental freedoms; 
e) 
Progressive Realization means undertaking measures to the maximum of its 
available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international 
cooperation, with a view of achieving progressively the full realization of these 
rights, without prejudice to those obligations contained in the convention on the 
Rights of Persons with Disabilities that are Immediately applicable according to 
International law; 
f) 
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 
participation. 
 
SEC. 4. Coverage. – All persons with disabilities, as certified under the Disability 
assessment and determination system that Is based on a human rights approach shall 
be covered by the provisions of this Act. In line with the progressive realization 
principle, the priority will initially be given to children with disabilities and adults with 
significant disabilities who are facing the highest barriers and disability related costs. 
However, the aim is to eventually cover all registered persons with disabilities who 
have cither no income or low level of income and as well as persons with disabilities 
who face disability-related extra costs which negatively affect adequate standard of 
living. 
 
SEC. 5. Disability Support Allowance Program. – There shall be established a 
Disability Support Allowance Program under the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD), in consultation with the National Council on Disability Affairs 
and a representative organization of persons with disabilities, designed to serve as a 
social protection measure and support the needs of persons with disabilities in their 
integration to society. The Disability Support Allowance Program shall aim to provide 
regular stipend to persons with disabilities based on the eligibility criteria of the DSWD. 
 
The initial amount of Two Thousand Pesos (Php2,000.00) a month per individual 
beneficiary is set for the disability support allowance, which will be indexed to inflation 
to preserve its impact on the standards of living and participation of people with 


 
disabilities. This would contribute, in combination to existing social protection 
programs and discounts to address the higher cost of transportation, housing, 
nutrition, hygiene and temporary human assistance requirements, among others. For 
working age adults out of work, it will provide a basic income security and will help 
cover disability related costs for finding and keeping work. 
 
The Program shall be implemented in three (3) phases; 
a) 
Phase 1 – The Initial phase of the Disability Support Allowance Program, to be 
implemented within three (3) years, shall prioritize provision of stipends to: 
i.  
Children with disabilities; 
ii.  
Adults with significant disabilities who are facing the highest barriers and 
disability-related costs; 
iii.  
Persons with disabilities who are recipients of social protection and 
economic empowerment programs such as but not limited to the 
Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Social Pension for 
Indigent Senior Citizens. 
b) 
Phase 2 – The second phase of the Program, to be implemented in the next 
three (3) years, shall Include all registered persons with disabilities who have 
either no income or low level of Income and as well as persons with disabilities 
who face disability-related extra costs which negatively affects adequate 
standard of living. 
c) 
Phase 3 – The third phase of the Program, to be implemented after six (6) years 
from the beginning of the implementation, shall endeavor to progressively cover 
all persons with disabilities. 
 
SEC. 6. Eligibility. – Eligibility to the disability support allowance will be based solely 
on disability assessment and determination with a focus on functional limitation, 
support requirements, and barriers to participation, irrespective of income, work status 
or access to other social protection benefits. 
 
In recognition of the multiple forms of poverty and the extent of disability-related costs 
required for basic participation, eligibility of persons with disabilities to the disability 
support allowance will be compatible with eligibility and benefits from different social 
protection and economic empowerment programs such as but not limited to the 


 
Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Social Pension for Indigent Senior 
Citizens, the disability allowance acting as a top-up for subsidizing disability-related 
extra costs. Provided, That the DSWD, in consultation with the NCDA, may, in its 
discretion, adopt additional bases to achieve the objectives of this Act. 
 
SEC. 7. Disability Data Management System. – To effectively implement social 
protection measures targeting persons with disabilities, a Disability Data Management 
System shall be put up and shall be linked to the Community-Based Management 
System (CBMS) which aid in the development of poverty-reduction programs from 
local to national level. Linkage to the National ID System, and the DOH Persons with 
Disability Registry, which is mirrored with the PhilHealth Database System shall also 
be done to provide real-time disability data and subsidized enrolment to PhilHealth 
insurance. 
 
SEC. 8. 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, along with other relevant 
laws, administrative issuances and local ordinances, shall Incorporate the information 
necessary for the granting of the monthly disability support allowance to eligible 
persons with disabilities. 
 
SEC. 9. 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 
(Php 25,000.00) but not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos (Php 50,000.00); and 
ii.  For any subsequent violation, a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos 
(Php 50,000.00) but not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (Php 
100,000.00). 
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 (Php 50,000.00) 
but not exceeding One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00). 


 
 
SEC. 10. 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 of 
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. 
 
SEC. 11. 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, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, 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. 
 
SEC. 12. 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. 
 
SEC. 13. 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. 
 
SEC. 14. 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. 
 
SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 


 
 
SEC. 16. 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,