PWD Bill Signed Into Law

Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that he was informed yesterday, March 29, that President Aquino signed RA 10754 or the People With Disability (PWD) Bill on March 24.

The said law expands the benefits and privileges under RA 7277 or the Magna Carta of PWDs. It grants PWDs exemption from the 12-percent Value-added Tax (VAT). Aside from this tax benefit, PWD relatives  up to the fourth degree of affinity or consanguinity who are taking care of the handicapped will be granted with tax deduction of Php 25,000 in their annual income.

The proponents of this law are Leyte Representative Ferdinand Romualdez, Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, and Senators Sonny Angara, Ralph Recto, Bam Aquino and Nancy Binay.

As reported by philstar.com, the Department of Finance (DOF) estimated that the amount of revenue that will be lost due to the law’s implementation is Php 4 billion.  PWD groups were concerned that the State’s loss of revenue would make the President veto the measure similar to what happened to the proposed Php 2,000 pension hike for Social Security pensioners.

In an earlier legal opinion released by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the latter noted that the purpose of the law is in accordance with the Constitutional provision which requires the State to “value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect of human rights” as provided in Section 11, Article II.

Source: KAMI.com.gh