THE Senate and House of Representatives Bicameral Conference Committee approved a bill Dec. 15 exempting persons with disabilities (PWDs) from paying the value added tax (VAT).
The said exemption would be on top of the 20 percent discount on, among others, medicines, hospital and laboratory services, and transport fares PWDs are entitled to under the Magna Carta.
In addition to the VAT exemption, the bill also allows a relative taking care of a PWD to claim a P25,000 deduction in his/her annual income tax.
While barely covering the cost of caring for a relative with disability, the amount should be a good start, said senator Ralph Recto, principal author of the bill.
The committee expects a possible signing of the bill into law by President Aquino before Christmas day.
At present, the flagship social protection program in the country for those with disabilities is the PWD ID, which provides the bearer discounts on basic goods and services.
Yet, a 2014 study commissioned by the Department of Health (DOH) has found inefficiencies in the program, especially in the determination of disability.
Chronic illnesses, for example, are not among the categories that would make one eligible for a PWD card. (See Include chronic illness in PWD ID – study)
Some 300,000 persons as of June 2014 have PWD IDs, according to the study.
The 2010 census puts the number of Filipinos with disabilities at around 1.4 million. (By Jake Soriano)
