EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Second Regular Session ) ) ) mm SENATE S.B. No. 1681 TJME BKCS INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL HEALTH GRANT TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE COVID<19 CRISIS Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in Congress assembied: 1 2 Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "COVID-19 Universal Disability Health Grant." 3 Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The implementation of the COVID-19 emergency 4 universal health grant for persons with disabilities shall be guided by the following 5 principles: 6 a. Persons with disabilities are constrained by their physical, mental, and/or 7 psychosocial impairments; inaccessible living spaces and communities; 8 and the social stigma of having disabilities; 9 b. The 1987 Constitution recognizes the role of social minorities including 10 persons with disabilities in nation building and it is further declared that 11 the State shall provide social justice in all phases of national 12 development and value the dignity of every human person; 13 c. Persons with disabilities have inalienable rights as other persons without 14 disabilities as enshrined in the Magna Carta of Persons with Disabilities 15 Act, Accessibility Law, Accessible Polling Places Law, other local policies, 16 and international conventions such as the United Nations Conventions 17 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 18 d. It shall be the responsibility of the State to ensure that persons with 19 disabilities are afforded the same opportunities and privileges available 20 to all Filipinos, especially in terms of equal access to public services and 21 social protection measures; 22 e. The Bayanihan to Heal As One Act established the basis for the creation 23 of a social amelioration program for people severely affected by COVID- 24 19 related community quarantines and lockdowns in the whole country.