Weak enforcement of persons with disability law noted

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 14 (PNA) -- Only 11 out of the 143 towns and cities in the region managed to establish a persons with disability affairs office (PDAO).

Since the enactment of Republic Act 10070, mandating the establishments of PDAO in every towns and cities, only few complied, according to Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Director Restituto Macuto.

These 11 local government units (LGUs) are Tacloban City, La Paz, San Miguel, McArthur, Jaro and Hilongos in Leyte; Borongan City and Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Calbayog City in Samar; Catarman and Bobon in Northern Samar.

Creating an office would mean additional budget for an LGU, in which low income towns could not afford due to budget constraints.

Macuto suggested that if LGUs are not financially capable to set up an office, they can appoint a focal person to carry out programs for persons with disabilities (PWD).

“Priority shall be given to qualified PWDs to head and man the office in carrying out the following functions: formulate and implement policies, plans and programs for the promotion of the welfare of PWDs in coordination with concerned national and local government agencies,” the law states.

“Priority in appointment should be given to a PWD with experience in providing services to their fellows. The establishment of a PDAO or the appointment of a focal person, as the case may be, should be done in consultation and coordination with the National Council on Disability Affairs, non-government organizations, and people’s organizations.”

The focal person also coordinates in the implementation of the provisions of Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, otherwise known as the Accessibility Law and other local law pertaining to PWD.

The Department of Interior and Local Government is in charge in monitoring the compliance of LGU in the creation of PDAO.

DSWD records show that there are 44,000 PWDs in the region’s six provinces.

“It is better that we know what kind of disability these people have so we will know what kind of intervention we can make for them,” said Macuto.

The Department of Health leads in the identification of what kind of disability the person has.

“I hope that this time we can focus our attention on LGUs’ compliance to this law and urge them to create PDAO,” Macuto added. (PNA)

LDV/SQM/RTAMAZONA/EGR