The chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development on Tuesday said Congress should grant incentives to businesses that will hire persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Liberal Party Rep. Winston Castelo of Quezon City, chairman of the panel, said both chambers should pass a law providing a reward and punishment system for these companies.
“There’s good reason for the apprehension of some employers on the proposal [mandating the hiring of PWDs]. However, we also need to address the problem of lack of opportunities and employment for PWDs,” Castelo said.
Earlier Employers Confederation of the Philippines acting President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. expressed reservation on the proposal mandating employment quotas on business for PWDs.
Pending House Bills 1916, 2396, 4865 and 5058 require that a particular percentage of a company’s work force be filled by PWDs, under the pain of stiff penalties to violators.
Moreover, Castelo said the government should determine first how many PWDs the Philippines have and what percentage of the labor force they represent.
“That way, we can determine exactly also how many may be employed by businesses. Also, we can consider both giving incentives to businesses that hire PWDs, as well as imposing penalties to those who don’t. That makes it a win-win formula-reward and punishment system,” he said.
Castelo is the author of a measure granting scholarship to children of PWDs and a resolution opposing any and all proposal to remove the exemption from value-added tax of senior citizens and PWDs.
For her part, PDP-Laban Rep. Estrellita B. Suansing of Nueva Ecija is pushing for a measure institutionalizing a national employment facilitation service network for PWDs through the establishment of a PWD employment facilitation office in every province, key city and other strategic areas in the country.
Suansing said her House Bill 1972 seeks to promote the employment opportunities for PWDs and strengthen existing employment facilitation service machinery of the government for PWDs, particularly at the local levels.
The bill said the Person with Disability Employment Facilitation Office shall be community based and maintained largely by local government units, and non-governmental organizations.
The measure added the office will provide a venue where PWDs could find and explore various employment options and seek training assistance for possible employment venture and serve as referral and information centers for the various services and programs being provided by the Department of Labor and Employment and other government agencies with respect to the welfare and employment of PWDs.
“Through these employment opportunities being provided by the State, we will help not only boost the PWDs’ self confidence, but also, enable them to be self-reliant and become productive members of the community,” Suansing said.
Suansing said her bill is still pending before House Committee on Social Services.