In a dramatic entrance that grabbed attention at the Manila Hotel Tent City, Komunidad ng Pamilya, Pasyente at Person with Disability (P3PWD) first nominee Rowena Guanzon filed her party-list group’s certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONAs) for the May 2025 midterm elections while on a wheelchair.

Guanzon was among other party-list nominees who filed their CONA for their respective organizations which included Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Epanaw Sambayanan, Pinoy Workers, Abante Pangasinan Ilocano, Unyon ng Mga Gabay ng Bayan, Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi, EduAksyon Sectoral, SSS-GSIS Pensyonado, Pusong Pinoy, Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa, Tulong Ipamahagi sa Comunidad Tungo sa Kaunlaran (TicTok) and Ako Padayon Pilipino.

According to Guanzon, her group will be pushing for a five-percent share of PWDs in the total budget of all local government units and national agencies including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) similar to the gender and development fund.

The former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner likewise added that they would also advocate for the social pension of PWDs similar to the senior citizen pension fund that has been recently approved in both Houses of Congress.

“Another (issue that we will be working on) is the monthly pension of PWDs from the national government and from local government units that are first class and second class. This should be required also in addition to the national government’s monthly social pension to PWDs, especially those that are homebound, such as stroke survivors, and those who have cerebral palsy,” she pointed out.

Furthermore, Guanzon disclosed that P3PWD will also push for an increase in budget of the special education (SPED) program being implemented by the Department of education (DepEd).

“Teachers and parents are always complaining that there are not enough teachers in SPED, and I’d like to call the attention of the secretary of budget that the plantilla item for this should come from the Department of Budget and Management for the Department of Education,” she noted while adding that teaching assistants for SPED should also be increased.

P3PWD, Guanzon also cited, would also be working on issues that are of national interest, among them the Full Disclosure Bill, similar to what former vice president Maria Leonor ‘Leni’ Robredo filed before; the Anti-Epal Bill, whichg was proposed by the late former senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and was her principal in college; and the Anti-Racketeering or RICO Law which has not been done yet despite having the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLC).