List of Discounts and Benefits for Persons With Disabilities (PWD)

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are entitled to various benefits and privileges that are designed to help ease their burden and get by like everyone else. If you care for a PWD in your home, or are a PWD yourself, this blog is especially for you.

PWD privileges and benefits are mandated by law. Therefore, all establishments and offices, whether private or run by the government, must provide the necessary privileges as specified under the following Republic Acts:

• RA 7277
• RA 10754
• RA 11228

Here is the complete list of benefits and privileges that PWDs may enjoy under the said Republic Acts.

1. Transportation Privileges:
   • 20% discount on the following:
     • Domestic air travel including tickets booked online
     • Public railways, including LRT, MRT, PNR
     • Public utility buses, jeepneys, taxis, and Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS)
     • Toll fees of skyways and expressways provided the PWD owns the vehicle.
       • Guidelines when availing PUV privileges:
         • Presentation of the PWD ID is required to avail of the discounts.
         • Full 20% discount on TNVS and taxi rides shall be given regardless of the number of companions of the PWD.
         • For promotional fares, the PWD can only avail of either the establishment’s offered discount or the 20% discount — whichever is higher.
         • PUV operators must designate seats in their vehicles for PWDs.
         • Online booking fees of PWD for any land, air, or sea travel services are subject to a 20% discount and VAT exemption privileges.
2. Accommodations, medicines, and recreational facilities:
   • 20% discount and VAT exemption on the following:
     • Hotels and similar lodging establishments
     • Restaurants
     • Recreation centers
     • Theaters, cinema houses, concert hall, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure, and amusement.
     • Medicines
     • Medical and dental services, including diagnostic and laboratory fees and professional fees of attending doctors in all private hospitals and medical facilities.
     • Funeral and burial services for the death of the PWD.
3. Basic and prime commodities:
   • 5% discount on the following:
     • Rice, corn, bread, fresh or dried and canned fish and other marine products, fresh pork, beef, and poultry meat, fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk, infant formula, fresh vegetables, root crops, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, detergents, firewood, charcoal, candles and other commodities as classified by the DTI and DA.
     • Fresh fruits, dried or processed or canned pork, beef, and poultry meat, dairy products not falling under basic necessities, noodles, onions, garlic, diapers, herbicides, poultry, swine and cattle feeds, veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle feeds, veterinary products for poultry, swine, and cattle, paper, school supplies, nipa shingle, plyboard, constructions nails, batteries, electrical supplies, light bulbs, steel wire, and other commodities that may be classified by the DTI and DA.
     • Purchases should not exceed P1,300 a week to avail of the 5% discount.
4. Mandatory Full PhilHealth Coverage
   • All PWDs, regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity, registered in the DOH Philippine Registry of Persons with Disability are automatically covered by PhilHealth.
5. Equal Employment Opportunities
6. Other Benefits and Privileges
   • Educational assistance to pursue primary (nursery and kindergarten), secondary, tertiary, post-tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education, in both public and private schools, provided the PWD meets admission requirements
   • Continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the GSIS, SSS, and Pag-IBIG.
   • Express lanes for PWD in all commercial and government establishments
   • Protection against verbal and non-verbal ridicule and vilification

You may consult your LGU for other special privileges granted to PWDs in your city or municipality as there are a lot of unique benefits available per area. For example, Cebu City grants PWDs an annual financial assistance of Php 5,000 as well as free parking in commercial establishments (for the first three hours) for PWDs.

References:

Filipiknow

Smart Parenting

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