Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV has filed a bill seeking a ₱2,000 monthly allowance for qualified persons with disabilities (PWDs), aimed at helping cover daily expenses tied to their disability.
Senate Bill No. 2386, or the proposed National Disability Support Act, would channel the allowance through a new National Disability Support Allowance Program. Under the measure, the amount would be adjusted periodically based on inflation to preserve its value over time.
The bill responds to recurring costs PWDs face in transportation, healthcare, and assistive devices. Aquino said that when these expenses go unaddressed, “opportunities are limited, poverty is deepened, and exclusion persists.”
“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,” Aquino said in a statement released Saturday.
The measure proposes a phased rollout. For the first three years, priority would go to children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities. Persons with moderate disabilities who carry disability-related costs would become eligible in the following three years.
Eligibility would not be based on income alone. The bill calls for a Disability and Needs Assessment System to evaluate applicants according to the nature of their disability and their support needs for participation in daily life. It also proposes a Disability Management Information System, linked to existing government databases, to help distribute the benefit.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would lead implementation, with support from the National Council on Disability Affairs.
“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.
A related measure is already pending in the House of Representatives. Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Vargas filed House Bill No. 3770, or the proposed Disability Support Allowance for Persons with Disabilities Act, in December 2025. That bill would grant a fixed ₱2,000 monthly allowance to all PWDs regardless of employment status, with the amount likewise indexed to inflation.
Both measures remain pending before their respective chambers. The Senate has not scheduled committee hearings on SB 2386 as of this writing.
