BILANG PILIPINO | Disability advocate and senatorial candidate pushes for PWD representation in Congress

February 14, 2022 , 09:36 PM

By Clarist Zablan, News5 Digital

(February 14, 2022) – A disability advocate, running for a seat in the Senate, on Monday vowed to work for the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs), decrying the lack of support from the government.

Carmen Zubiaga, executive director of civil society group Women with Disabilities Leap to Social and Economic Progress, said she wants to be senator as a form of “protest” and bring to public attention the challenges faced by PWDs.

“Hindi man ako manalo ay nakagawa ako ng malaking alon dito sa dagat ng mga botante at nakikita nila kung ano ang kalagayan ng mga marginalized sector ng katulad ng mga person with disabilities,” Zubiaga said on CignalTV’s One PH channel’s program “Sa Totoo Lang.”

“Matagal na panahon na marginalized sa lahat ng sector at hanggang ngayon na 2022, hindi pa rin kami tinitignan bilang sektor na may karapatan na makilahok sa pagdedesisyon, maging kasama sa pagde-desisyon para sa ating kinabukasan ng bansa at higit sa lahat, para sa kinabukasan ng mga may kapansanan lalo na yung mga bata.”

From her wheelchair, Zubiaga said the government must listen to people with expertise on the necessary accommodations for PWDs, noting the public knows little about the needs of the sector and support from legislation is lacking.

“Kung meron man tayong mga batas, itong mga ito ay kulang-kulang at marami pong butas kaya hindi po siya maipatupad ng maayos dahil nga po ang mga gumawa ay hindi naman nila kabisado kung ano talaga yung scope nung PWD at ano talaga ang pangangailangan ng mga taong may kapansanan,” she said.

A government survey in 2016 showed that around 12% of Filipinos age 15 and older experienced severe disability. The latest census on the PWD population was far back in 2010, estimating that 1.23% of the population have a disability.

Although there is a law mandating certain buildings and establishments to install facilities to accommodate PWDs, the National Commission on Disability Affairs has said that many buildings still do not have the required accessibility features.

The latest move by the transportation department to create an EDSA carousel route during the pandemic lacked the necessary infrastructure for persons with disability.

The sector was also one of the most vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic. A 2021 study published in Health Promotion Perspectives found that policies in the Philippines for PWDs during the crisis showed that the state has recognized the needs of the sector, but details on policy implementation was limited.

PWDs also still continued to face outward discrimination. Groups recently slammed Pantaleon Alvarez, the president of presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson’s political party Partido Reporma, for lambasting a political opponent he described as “autistic.”

“Yung kaalaman tungkol sa kapansanan ay di pa gaanong nabibigyang pansin,” Zubiaga said. “Kailangan sila ay makinig sa mga tao na may expertise sa ganintong larangan dahil hindi pwede na babaliwalain natin ang isang malawak na sektor dahil lamang sa hindi natin alam.”

(MM)

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