By Alma L. Tingcang
IPIL,
Zamboanga Sibugay - In support to the celebration of the
National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week, the Philippine
Information Agency recently hosted a media forum to promote awareness on the rights of persons with
disabilities (PWDs).
The
theme, “Karapatan ng May Kapansanan, Isakatuparan…Now na!” focuses on the
realization of the fundamental freedom and rights of PWDs as provided for in
existing international mandates and national law.
Guests
during the forum were Mrs. Sally Lao and Ms. Imelda Caspillo from the Municipal
Social Welfare and Development Office, and Mr. Wenifredo Almario, head of the
Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO).
“In
Region 9, we are the second municipality to establish a PDAO, next to Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte. Among the cities,
Dapitan comes first and Zamboanga City has also created one,” Almario informed
the media.
He said DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2010 – 103 provides for the
establishment of Persons with Disability Affairs Office in every province, city and municipality
Pursuant to RA 10070.
According to Almario, the functions of PDAO are: to formulate and
implement policies, plans and programs that promote the welfare of PWDs in
coordination with concerned national and local government agencies; and
coordinate the implementation of Batas Pambansa 344 otherwise known as the
Accessibility Law, among others.
BP
344 is an act to enhance the mobility of disabled persons by requiring certain
buildings, institutions, establishments
and public utilities to install facilities and other devices.
He observed that there is more to be done for the strict compliance of
BP 344 in the locality as some establishments and infrastructure are not
PWD-friendly. He called on the media to support this advocacy.
However, he noted that support for PWDs have relatively increased for
the past year. With a budget of P942,000 in 2015 from LGU Ipil, it has now
reached P1.078 million, citing the local government for its all-out support to
PWDs.
To date, there are 728
recorded PWDs in Ipil. “But I believe
there is more, they are just ashamed. I encourage my fellow PWDs to come out and not be ashamed of our disability. There are several
programs and activities of the government that we can avail, as well as
training and employment opportunities,” Almario urged.