BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the conduct of disability-related activities and celebrations in the city and making it an annual activity of the local government in appropriating the required funds for the said endeavors.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Arthur Alad-iw stated the disability-related activities shall be Autism Consciousness Week during the third week of January; National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month in February; Retarded Children’s Week on February 14-20; Leprosy Control Week last week of February; National Rare Disease Week every fourth week of February; Women’s with Disabilities Day every 3rd week of July; Culmination of National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week every July 23, White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines or White Cane Safety Week in the city for the blind every first week of august; Brain Attack Awareness Week every third week of August; National Epilepsy Awareness Week every first week of September; Cerebral Palsy Awareness Week every third week of September; National Mental Week every second week of October; Bone and Joint Disorder Awareness Week every third week of October; National Attention Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Week every third week of October; National Skin Disease Detection and Prevention Week every second week of November; Deaf Awareness Week every second week of November; and International Day of all other Disabled Persons in the Philippines every December 3.
For the purpose of the implementation of the said local legislative measure, a committee is hereby created to coordinate the activities and it shall be composed of the city Mayor as chairman and co-chaired by the City Social Welfare and Development Office with members coming from the SP Committees on Employment, Livelihood and Cooperatives and persons with Disabilities and Committee on Barangay Affairs; City Health Officer, Person with Disabilities Affairs Officer; Department of Labor and Employment; Public Employment and Services Officer; City Sports and Development Officer; City Human Resource and Management Officer; representative from the Baguio City Chamber of Commerce and Industry; president of local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; president of other abled persons groups and representatives from institutes or learning centers caring for other abled persons.
The ordinance mandated the allocation of the amount of P1 million to be drawn from the 1 percent share from the city’s tax revenues allotted to persons with disabilities and senior citizens or from any available source shall be included in the annual budget of the city annually.
The ordinance underscored it is necessary to conduct annual activities for disabled persons to recognize their involvement in the development of the society and enhance further their capacity and participation in nation-building.
International laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of PWDs and local laws such as Republic Act (RA) 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons aim for the improvement of the total well-being of disabled persons.
By Dexter A. See
