The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is planning to expand the reach of Project Aruga, a community-based initiative that supports children with disabilities and their families through financial assistance and other support services.
Project Aruga currently has 400 beneficiaries being served by the DSWD in four cities across four regions with the largest number of persons with disabilities.
“Tayo ngayon ay nasa pilot implementation ng Project Aruga at pinag-aaralan natin na i-scale up at dagdagan pa ang ating pilot areas kung saan tayo nag-a-identify ng ating mga benepisyaryo (We are now in the pilot implementation of Project Aruga, and we are looking into scaling it up and expanding the pilot areas where we will identify our beneficiaries),” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement on Wednesday.
Dumlao said the project is being pilot-tested in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; and Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
Apart from the PHP10,000 financial aid provided to children with disabilities and their families, the community also receives non-monetary assistance, such as home care and community support services, case management, and referral services.
“The Aruga project aims to enhance detection and registration of children with disability, increase access to social welfare and development services, and capacitate volunteers, caregivers, and local implementers to deliver home care support services,” Dumlao said.
During the Senate deliberations on the DSWD’s PHP224.53 billion proposed budget for 2026, Senator Raffy Tulfo expressed his support for the expansion of the project, acknowledging the need to provide monthly allowance to beneficiaries.
Senator Pia Cayetano, who sponsored the DSWD’s budget on the Senate plenary deliberation, also expressed full support for the program’s expansion.
“Currently, this is just a pilot project. There are 400 beneficiaries in four LGUs (local government units) in 2025, and then in 2026, they hope to expand this to 1,200 beneficiaries in six LGUs, so this representation fully supports that objective to provide more support. I have had a child with severe disabilities, and I know how costly it is,” Cayetano said. (PNA)