A bill seeking to provide a P2,000 monthly pension to indigent persons with disabilities (PWDs) has hurdled the Senate’s committee discussion and will be up for plenary debate when Congress resumes sessions in January.
Bill sponsor Sen. Imee Marcos will defend the measure during the debate. Bill authors include Senators Risa Hontiveros, Lito Lapid, Ronald dela Rosa, and Ramon Revilla Jr.
Under Senate Bill 1602 or the “Disability Support Fund Act,” an initial amount of P2,000 will be given as monthly stipend to every PWD in an indigent family.
This will be given along with the current social protection and discounts being enjoyed by the said sector.
The bill defines an “indigent person with disability” as one “who is frail, sickly, and without pension or permanent source of income, or regular support from his/her relatives to meet his/her basic needs.”
Covered by the proposed pension are PWDs with physical, mental, intellectual, and sensory impairments.
The measure also recommends that the Disability Support Fund prioritize children with disabilities and adults with moderate and severe disability for its first three years of implementation.
Meantime, individuals found taking advantage of the law, like fraudulently claiming that a PWD applicant is indigent, will be fined from P50,000 to P100,000.
