BAGUIO CITY – A proposed ordinance has been filed in the city council “institutionalizing the conduct of disability-related activities or celebrations in the city of Baguio, making these annual activities of the city government and appropriating funds thereof”.
Councilor Arthur Allad-iw, it’s proponent, said other-abled persons, through international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and local laws like Republic Act No. 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, aim for the improvement of the total well-being of PWDs and their integration into the mainstream of society.
“Their (PWDs) integration into the mainstream of society as regards education, health, sports, entertainment, employment and other aspects of human development need to be fully implemented,” he said.
“It is therefore necessary to conduct annual activities for these other-abled persons to recognize their involvement in the development of our society and enhance further their capacity and participation in nation building,” Allad-iw added.
The proposed ordinance aims to institutionalize the following activities: Autism Consciousness Week, National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month, Retarded Children’s Week, Leprosy Control Week, National Rare Disease Week, Women with Disabilities Day, National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week including its culmination of the birthdate of Apolinario Mabini;
White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines and White Cane Safety Week, Brain Attack Awareness Week, National Epilepsy Awareness Week, Cerebral Palsy Awareness and Protection Week, National Mental Week, Bone and Joint Disorder Awareness Week, National Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Week, National Skin Disease Detection and Prevention Week, Deaf Awareness Week and International Day of all other-abled persons in the Philippines.
It also creates a committee tasked to coordinate the activities with the City Mayor as chairman and city social welfare development officer as vice-chair. Members include chairmen of the city council committees on employment, livelihood and cooperatives and PWDs and barangay affairs; city health officer; PWD affairs officer;
Department of Labor and Employment; public employment and services officer, city sports and development officer; city human resource and management officer; Baguio Chamber of Commerce or business sector representative; Integrated Bar of the Philippines local chapter president ; presidents of other-abled persons groups; and representatives from institutions or learning centers caring for PWDs.
The measure mentions other activities to be accomplished by the committee including those in relation to the celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples as avenue to the particular concerns of indigenous PWDs.
The proposed ordinance also calls for the appropriation of P1 million from the one percent share of the city’s tax revenues allotted to PWDs and senior citizens or from any other source for the purpose and shall be included in the city’s annual budget.
By Gaby Keith
