MANILA, Philippines — Moving to address immense institutional gaps in healthcare, social safety nets, and neurodiverse inclusivity, lawmakers have consolidated dozens of pending measures into a unified legislative front.The House Committee on Health approved a sweeping bill that establishes a comprehensive national program for Filipinos diagnosed with conditions inside the autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
During its Monday session, the committee, acting on a motion from Bukidnon Rep. Laarni Lavin Roque, voted to consolidate 46 identical and overlapping measures. The panel designated House Bill (HB) No. 3379—the proposed National Autism Program Act authored by Deputy Speaker Albee Benitez—as the primary working draft moving forward.
The unified bill seeks to expand the state’s medical and financial safety nets for the country’s neurodiverse community, which has long relied on fragmented local government initiatives or expensive private care:
[46 Overlapping House Bills Filed] ──► Transmitted to the House Committee on Health │ ▼ (Monday Panel Session Consolidation)[HB No. 3379 Adopted as Main Draft] ◄── Approved and Consolidated by House Committee │ ▼ [Creates Structured Healthcare & Allowance Programs for ASD Families]
The underlying urgency behind the legislation is backed by historical Commission on Human Rights (CHR) estimates. CHR tracking indicates that approximately 1.2 million individuals—or roughly one in every 100 Filipinos—live with autism, facing systemic barriers to proper medical diagnosis, specialized education, and equitable employment.
HB No. 3379 outlines clear clinical definitions for various levels of severity within the spectrum, pairing these tiers with immediate, mandatory state services:
[ MANDATED STATE SERVICES & BENEFITS ]
│
┌───────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
[ HEALTHCARE MATRIX ] [ INCOME OVERHEAD SHIELD ] [ INFRASTRUCTURE & SHELTER ]
• **Automatic PhilHealth Care:** • **₱4,000 Monthly Stipend:** • **Institutional Shelters:**
Enrolls all individuals with Creates the Autism Support Requires the DSWD to open
ASD as sponsored members. Allowance Program under DSWD. both temporary and permanent
• **Free Screenings:** Guarantees • **Inflation-Indexed:** Ensures shelters for abandoned or
one free developmental audit the stipend adjusts smoothly neglected children, adults,
for all children up to age 5. against shifting market costs. and elderly on the spectrum.
To ensure that persons on the spectrum (POS) can transition safely into adulthood and the formal economy, the consolidated bill combines strong regulatory penalties with corporate incentives.
| Legislative Focus Area | Mandated Institutional Framework | Strategic Long-Term Target |
| Corporate Tax Incentives | Grants direct tax deductions to private business enterprises that intentionally hire and accommodate individuals with ASD. | Breaks down employment barriers and encourages long-term, diverse workforce integration. |
| Legal Protections | Imposes strict statutory penalties and fines for discrimination, verbal abuse, or physical maltreatment targeted at POS. | Extends civil rights protections and establishes clear legal recourse for affected families. |
| NGO Resource Channeling | Partners with established non-government organizations to distribute educational materials and specialized training. | Minimizes structural health and academic care deficits across far-flung provincial municipalities. |
The approval of the measure by the Health committee follows years of sustained advocacy from lawmakers and grassroots organizations. Notably, in August 2025, Akbayan Party-list Reps. Percival Cendaña, Chel Diokno, and Dadah Karim Ismula, alongside Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, introduced a parallel measure, HB No. 3198 (the National Autism Care Plan Act).
By using Benitez’s draft to consolidate these diverse legislative pushes into a singular, high-priority committee report, Congress is moving the Philippines closer to a system where neurodivergent individuals are shielded by state resources throughout their entire lives.