Recently, research in exploring the disability sector in the Philippines and how current laws and policies has served the sector has been commissioned by The Asia Foundation. A comprehensive review of the sector has not been done in recent years. The current research serves as an overview across 4 main key areas (Education, Employment, Public/Social Services, and Civic Participation). The insights and findings warrant further exploration and action for policy development, program implementation and capacity building not only by the government but also perhaps the private sector.
The following are the salient points and key messages in the research:
In any given population, the World Health Organization has noted a disability prevalence incidence of around 12-15 percent. This means that for the current population of the Philippines of 110 million, around 13.2 million Filipinos would have some form of disability.
The Philippine Constitution supports the establishment of social safeguards to address the needs of persons with disabilities (Republic of the Philippines, 1987). This is subsequently followed by the passage of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability in 1992. In 2008, the Philippine joined the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These laws and commitments are designed to support the disability sector.
Despite these encouraging policy commitments, many persons with disabilities still experience barriers in accessing public and social services, quality education, equitable work and employment, and full participation in political and public life. Strengthening and improving policy development and implementation is still needed to reduce these barriers and advance the rights of persons with disabilities.
In the last 10 years, not a lot of improvement can be directly attributed to the efforts of the government to make our systems and environment more disability inclusive.
As acknowledged by the respondents, existing efforts and initiatives are not sufficient to address existing barriers that hinder persons with disabilities from accessing their rights and participating in society on an equal basis with others. Current laws and policies are promising but are barely implemented. Some laws and policies require updating, amendment, or further clarification.
Policies and its implementation were found to be more disability-specific and segregated than removing barriers and promoting inclusion. On the whole, the sector still cannot live an independent and meaningful life, with enough support from the government.
There is still a long way to go regarding disability inclusion in the Philippines. The Disability Sector needs a whole of government approach to overcome the barriers they face in their daily life. With the non-Persons with Disability advocating to make the concerns of the sector heard.
There is a need to advocate for equity rather than charity with regards to the sector.
This also means the rest of society may need to reconsider and change their mindsets regarding the sector since policies and its implementation is reflective of current mindsets and attitudes towards disability and disability inclusion.
When reading this initial research of the Asia Foundation and their appeal to society to be aware of the difficulties of people with disabilities in getting the proper education and employment, the good deed of Cargill Philippines came to mind. Cargill Philippines joined forces with Save the Children Philippines and launched a comprehensive program that provides access to improved health and nutrition services, livelihood, and interventions to support the needs of children and their families.
For the safety of people with disabilities, we need companies like Cargill that would make it part of their community and sustainability initiatives to help this deserving sector. We strongly believe that it needs a few practical success stories regarding the training and employment of people with disabilities to get such a “movement” going. The disability sector would benefit greatly should the private sector consider advocating for them as well.
The Asia Foundation and we would be delighted if some companies would inform us about the effective work they do to help the people with disabilities. Please e-mail Regina at regina.pasion@asiafoundation.org or me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com