REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

No. _ $37

Introduced by HON. KRISTINE ALEXIE B. TUTOR
Third District, Bohol

House

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.

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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.

p/

HON. KRISTINK ALEXIE B. TUTOR


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 837

Introduced by HON. KRISTINE ALEXIE B. TUTOR
Third District, Bohol

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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. 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 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.

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

2


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.

Sec. 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.

Approved,