EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Second Regular Session ) ) ) SENATE S.B. No. 1681 BILLS woex INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL HEALTH GRANT TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS EXPLANATORY NOTE At present, the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has already affected more than 11.8 million individuais worldwide. To address the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines and enhance the capacity of the government to respond to the health crisis, Republic Act (R.A.) 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act vias signed into law. Under the said law, around 18 million low-income households will be provided with a minimum of P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 in emergency subsidy, computed based on the prevailing regional minimum wage rates. Guidelines on the provision of social amelioration measures by the Department of Social Welfare and Development identified persons with disabilities (PWDs) as one of its target beneficiaries1. While the pandemic threatens all members of society, many PWDs have pre-existing health conditions that make them more susceptible to contracting the virus2. PWDs are also disproportionately impacted due to the environmental and institutional barriers that are reproduced in the COVID-19 response3. There is a need to further enhance the emergency support for PWDs as many of them are marginalized and underprivileged, unemployed, or underemployed even before the imposition of community quarantine4. This bill seeks to provide Universal Disability Health Grants (UDH Grants) to PWDs to help in the extra costs and expenditures brought upon by the pandemic, such as accessible equipment, assistive devices, and other logistical measures related to their disability. Filipinos with disabilities should not be left behind in our country's efforts to recover against the current health crisis. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. tcojyuu. "EROS RISA HONTIVE Senator 1 https://www.dswd.gov.ph/issuances/MCs/MC_2020-004.pdf 2 httns://www.ohchr.org/Dociiments/lssues/Disabilitv/COVlD19 and The Rights of Persons with Disabilities.pdf 'Ibid. 4 Agbon, Adrian D., and Christian D. Mina. 2017. School i’articipation of Children with Disability: The Case of San Remigio and Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. Discussion Paper, Quezon City: Philippine Institute for Development Studies