House bill filed on increased benefits for persons with disabilities

A BILL was filed at the House of Representatives that seeks to increase benefits granted to persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help the sector adapt to the coronavirus pandemic.

House Deputy Speaker Deogracias Victor B. Savellano filed House Bill 10540, which would mandate the Department of Social Welfare and Development to review and formulate measures that would expand government-funded aid to PWDs.

The measure also proposes to provide a P500-million fund for the implementation of the proposed law as well as future allocations in the national annual budget to sustain the assistance.

Mr. Savellano said the bill is needed as PWDs have been one of the hardest hit sectors by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Discounts in medicine, food, recreation, lodging, and other benefits are minimal as to create significant impact on the quality of lives of people with disabilities,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note. — Russell Louis C. Ku