BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The National Anti-Poverty Council (NAPC) is reviewing policies for the welfare and rights of persons with disability (PWDs).
NAPC PWD Representative John Paredes said they are reviewing the Disability Support Fund Act, which seeks to provide a disability support allowance of P2,000 month per eligible beneficiary.
“Of course, this is about money so medyo mabusising balitaktakan actually ‘yung national disability allowance,” Paredes said.
The NAPC is also reviewing Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 or the Accessibility Law approved in 1983. Paredes underlined that in terms of accessibility, some of the provisions of the said law need to be modified.
“Parang lumalabas yata is we are going to come up with RA, a new version of the law and repeal the old one sa dami ng provisions na kailangang palitan. Of course, this will now address still our concerns on accessibility,” Paredes said.
The NAPC is also assisting an author of a bill in the Senate in coming up with the National Commission on Disability Affairs.
Paredes said that they will also be proposing to the Department of Education to look into the possibility of coming up with or integrating in the curriculum of the basic education program the basic sign language training.
“If you try to look at the module on sign language, hindi naman ganun karami and that would be an opportunity by which children will be able to learn sign language. So, it becomes now an integral basic language of the youth kung maaprubahan ‘yung pakikipag-communicate sa ating mga kapwa may kapansanan,” he stated.
The NAPC is also looking into policies to address some challenges faced by PWDs in opening bank accounts. Some banks turn away visually impaired persons from opening bank accounts, he said.
For the bill on the lifetime validity of PWD ID cards, it is still under review. He said there is a need to establish what constitutes a permanent and temporary disability.
In 2023, House Bill 8440 amending Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, was filed in the House of Representatives.
Cagayan de Oro City Representative Lordan Suan, the author of the bill, said a lifetime ID card for disabled persons has the potential to significantly better their lives. (DEG-PIA CAR)
