Remaining true to its mandate of providing programs and services to vulnerable sectors of society, such as persons with disability, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated P100,000 for assistive devices for each DSWD Field Office every  year,  starting this year.

The person with disability sector is among the most affected by the declaration of community quarantine brought about by the spread of COVID-19 in the country. To help them regain and develop their self and social enhancement, the DSWD, through its Field Offices will provide augmentation support for the assistive devices of blind and low vision, deaf/hearing impaired, and orthopedically and physically challenged individuals.

These devices may include talking laptops and tablets, talking canes/smart canes, and Braille system for the blind and visually impaired; hearing aids with beamforming technology, customized headphones, and Cochlear implant for deaf and hearing impaired; motorized wheelchair, customized wheelchair,  tri-wheelchair bike,  talking watch,  customized artificial eyes, and neuro-prosthesis for the orthopedically and physically challenged.

Persons with disability may request for the augmentation support of their assistive devices through the Focal Person on Persons with Disability Welfare Program and Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) at the Crisis Intervention Units (CIUs) of the DSWD Field Offices.

The Field Offices accept representatives to apply and claim for assistance, Moreover, Social Welfare Action Development (SWAD) teams in the provinces are also mobilized to accept applications and send these to the Field Offices for processing. After processing all the documents, the devices are sent to the SWAD offices for claiming.

Persons with disability who want to avail of the assistive devices should prepare documents such as medical certificate indicating the disability with date issued, full name and signed by attending physician which will be valid for 3 months,  request for assistive devices and quotation showing the amount of the assistive device, Barangay Indigency Certificate of the person with disability or client, and  one vaild ID.

The Department hopes that through these assistive devices, the persons with disability will continue to be productive and contributing members of society, despite their disability, in these critical times. -30-