Around 36,000 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Davao City are set to benefit from the city’s first release of annual financial assistance, with payouts tentatively scheduled for June or July this year, according to the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO).
PDAO head lawyer Redendo Martinez said the qualified beneficiaries are those who registered on or before October 31, 2025, in line with the registration cut-off approved under the city’s supplemental budget.
“Naghatag ta og cut-off as of October 2025 kadtong niaging tuig kadtong maka-receive lang sa financial assistance nga ihatag sa atoang city. So by this year naapil siya sa supplemental budget that will be distributed tentatively by June or July karong tuiga, so kadtong narehistro prior to October 31, 2025 mao rato’y maka-avail,” Martinez told the media.
Each eligible PWD is entitled to a P1,500 annual subsidy, regardless of disability type, profession, or socioeconomic status.
Martinez clarified that PWDs who registered starting November 2025 will not be included in this year’s payout and will instead be covered in the 2027 distribution.
For that cycle, the cut-off date will follow the ordinance-mandated deadline of March 31, 2026.
The PDAO official said beneficiaries are generally required to personally claim their assistance, but accommodations will be made for bedridden individuals and those residing in far-flung areas.
Authorized representatives may claim on their behalf upon submission of an authorization letter, and in the case of bedridden PWDs, a photo verifying their condition.
Any unclaimed subsidy after five days will be deposited with the City Treasurer and eventually reverted to city funds if left unclaimed.
Distribution of the financial assistance will follow a district-based schedule similar to the system used for senior citizens.
Martinez added that the city government is intensifying efforts to reach PWDs in remote communities to ensure they are informed and able to access the assistance.
He also warned the public to rely only on official announcements from the PDAO and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), stressing that the release schedule remains tentative as the budget is still under deliberation.
Martinez cautioned against individuals claiming to collect lists or promising priority access, saying no such arrangements exist. By Maya M. Padillo
