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Section 2 - Disability Rights Protections and Mechanisms in the Philippines

2.1 International Commitments

The Philippines has acceded and acquiesced to various international conventions and commitments including the Biwako Millennium Framework and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Biwako Millennium Framework was adopted by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific during the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Conclude the Asian and the Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993 – 2002) that was held in Otsu City, Shiga, Japan. The Commission adopted Resolution 58/4, espousing the promotion of an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in the Asian and the Pacific region in the 21st century. In addition, it endorses the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993 – 2002) for another decade.

The Philippines is also a signatory to the United Nation Millennium Development Goals (UN MDG). The UN MDG is a set of eight goals, which ranges from reducing poverty to controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS, and providing universal primary education, targeted to be accomplished by 2015. The MDGs form a blueprint agreed upon by all countries and leading development institutions which have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world's poorest population. The Philippines also sanctions the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is an agreement among countries aimed at ensuring that people with disabilities have the same rights and freedom as any other person.

A significant progress in the promotion of rights of people with disabilities was achieved by the United Nations' declaration of 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons, with the theme Full Participation and Equality in all development efforts in the disability field. This was seen as the recognition from the highest political level of the rights to equal participation of persons with disability.

The declaration of the UN Decade of Disabled Persons from 1983 to 1992 led to the formulation of the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons. This Programme sought to promote effective measures for the prevention of the causes of disability as well as the rehabilitation of persons with disability. Moreover, it advocated the promotion of full participation and equality of human rights. The Asia Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons from 1993 to 2002 was instituted in 1993 which provides the mandate and basis to sustain, strengthen, and expand the efforts initiated during the UN Decade.

The UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities was adopted in 1993. The following year, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 159, Recommendation 168 Concerning Vocational Rehabilitation on Employment of Persons with Disabilities, and UNESCO Salamanca and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education were passed.

2.2 National Framework

In the past, persons with disabilities were often invisible and viewed as objects of protection and assistance rather than subjects of rights. As a result of this position, persons with disabilities were excluded from mainstream society, and provided with special schools, sheltered workshops, and separate housing and transportation based on the assumption that they were incapable of coping with either society at large or most if not all of major life activities. They were denied equal access to basic rights and fundamental freedoms, such as health care, employment, education, vote, participation in cultural activities, that most people take for granted.

A dramatic shift in perspective regarding people with disabilities, however, has been taking place in the country over the past two decades. Persons with disabilities are starting to be viewed as holders of human rights. The rights-based approach to disability is gradually being adopted by the Government. Though the process is slow and uneven, it is taking place in all economic and social systems. The rights-based approach to disability essentially means viewing persons with disabilities as subjects of law. Its aim is to empower disabled persons, and to ensure their active participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life in a way that is respectful and accommodating of their disabilities. This approach is normatively based on international human rights standards and is operationally directed to enhancing the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities.

There is no Constitutional definition of disability in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. However, a statutory definition under the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act No. 7277) exists, which defines disability at Section 4 as follows:

(1)A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more psychological, physiological or anatomical function of an individual or activities of such individual; (2) a record of such impairment or (3) being regarded as having such impairment.

The definition is wide enough to include persons who may not traditionally be regarded as disabled. In fact, the Magna Carta further defines disabled persons as those suffering from restrictions or possessing different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment, that hinder them from performing an activity in a manner that is within the range considered normal for a human being. Moreover, although the Philippine Constitution has no special provisions for people with disabilities, it makes provisions guaranteeing social justice and human rights and liberties to all its citizens (Article XIII). These are rights that apply to all its citizens and as such, persons with disabilities are expected to enjoy these rights equally with the rest of the society.

2.3 Philippine Legislation & Agenda for Persons with Disabilities

Several national efforts were undertaken by the Philippine Government to usher in a major change in the philosophical, social, and developmental thinking in the approach to helping people with disabilities. These efforts were further reinforced with the passage in 1992 of Republic Act No. 7277, also known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, which marked a turning point in the policy and program development for persons with disability. Considered landmark legislation, the Magna Carta provides for the rehabilitation, the development and provision of opportunities towards self-reliance, and the integration into the mainstream of society for persons with disabilities.

The Magna Carta has paved the way for the implementation of the philosophy of inclusion since it provides persons with disabilities full participation to, and the equalization of opportunities in seven major areas of concern: employment, education, health services, auxiliary social services, telecommunication, accessibility in transportation and communication, and recognition of their political rights. Some of the salient features of the Magna Carta include:

  • On employment: the law guarantees that persons with disability shall have the same access to opportunities for suitable employment as their able-bodied counterparts.
  • On education: the law ensures that disabled persons are given the opportunity and proper motivation to improve their lives through education. It is also mandated that Special Education shall be established in public schools in cities or municipalities. Where viable, Braille Libraries shall also be established.
  • On health: the main thrust of the Government would be towards the prevention of disability (be it occurring before, during or after pregnancy), the detection and early diagnosis of disability, and the early rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
  • On barrier-free environment: programs are being developed to ensure that persons with disabilities can freely move in a disabled-friendly environment. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) takes the lead in implementing the provisions of the law regarding access to public transport facilities. The Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH), on the other hand, takes charge of the accessibility of public and private buildings and establishment to persons with disabilities.
  • Implementation of the law: Department of Justice (DOJ) is mandated to ensure that those who violate the law shall be penalized.

The Philippines' policy towards persons with disabilities is expressed in national legislation and in guidelines adopted by the Government. Both the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and the Philippine Constitution Article XIII stress the importance of rehabilitation, self-development, self-reliance, and integration into mainstream society of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities are identified as among the under-privileged citizens in country's legislation The Magna Carta calls for the prioritization of the needs of persons with disabilities through the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, and the provision of social services at affordable cost.

A significant contribution to the national movement concerning persons with disabilities is achieved through the passage of Proclamation No. 240, signed by President Arroyo in 2002 declaring the years from 2003 to 2012 as the Philippine Decade of Persons with Disabilities as an offshoot of the recently concluded Asia-Pacific Decade. The Proclamation states that,

the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons is hereby directed to rationalize all disability related efforts by formulating and issuing a Comprehensive National Plan of Action for the Decade which translates the objectives of R.A. 7277, B.P. 344, and other disability-related laws and policies into concrete programs of action for the Decade. All heads of Departments, Chief of Bureaus, Offices, Agencies and Instrumentalities of the National government, including officials of Local Government, are hereby instructed to implement plans, programs, and activities geared towards the development of persons with disabilities based on the National Plan of Action for the Decade.

In line with the Asia Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons and its blueprint the Agenda for Action, the Philippines formulated the Philippine Plan of Action that sets into motion the directions for implementation of programs and services for persons with disabilities. This Plan of Action ensures full participation of, and equalization of, opportunities for persons with disabilities. It seeks to institutionalize the prevention of the causes of disability and the rehabilitation of people with disabilities within the targeted decade from 1993-2002. The plan embodies strategies and programs of action that are intended towards the prevention of the causes of disability, the provision of effective and efficient rehabilitation services, and the integration of people with disabilities into mainstream society through equalization of opportunities.

Prior to the observance of the Asian and Pacific Decade, the Philippines had three major laws that created the legal bases for measures to achieve the objectives of full participation and equality for persons with disabilities:

  • Accessibility Law (Republic Act 344), An Act to enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Access Facilities and other Devices (approved in 25 February 1983);
  • White Cane Act (Republic Act 6759), An Act Declaring the first of August of Each Year as White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines and for Other Purposes (enacted in 18 September 1989); and
  • Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act 7277), An Act Providing for the Rehabilitation and Self Reliance of Disabled Persons and their Integration into the Mainstream of Society and for Other Purposes (approved in 24 March 1992).

These national laws embody the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities. They include provisions that remove conditions, such as discrimination, that adversely affects the development of persons with disability.

Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Accessibility Law were amended in March, 1995 to provide stiffer penalties to violators. Amendments to the Magna Carta and the White Cane Act have been proposed to the Philippine Congress, in an effort to make them more responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities. Special legislation on the Party-list System for Congressional (House of Representatives) representation was passed in 1995, which provides for the inclusion of political parties of persons with disabilities to vie for representation in the Lower House of Congress.

Several issuances to reinforce the implementation of the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and Accessibility Law were also passed, including:

  • Executive Order No. 385, Creating a Task Force to Address Gaps/Concerns of Persons with Disabilities with Fund Allocation;
  • Executive Order No. 261, Creating an Inter-Agency Committee for the Promotion, Employment of Persons with Disabilities, with the Department of Labor and Employment as lead agency; and
  • Administrative Order No. 101, Instructing the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Education, and the Commission on Higher Education to Ensure Accessibility of Public Buildings; e.g. schools, colleges, universities; and for the Department of Budget and Management to release funds for the purpose (issued by former President Joseph Estrada).

The National Directorate of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines has adopted Resolution No. 0110-2001 for the establishment of the Office of Persons with Disabilities Affairs (OPDA) in all municipalities nationwide. OPDA will serve as the structural organization for the implementation of programs/projects to minimize or cushion adverse impacts of poverty on persons with disabilities.

2.4 Government Bodies

According to NCDA, based on historical accounts the government's concern for the disabled persons began as early as 1917 and the national concern for rehabilitation was manifested by non-government organizations as well.

The Philippines hosted the Second International Conference on Legislation Concerning the Disabled from January 16-20, 1978. This conference was organized by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation for Disabled Persons (PFRD), which is a national affiliate of the Rehabilitation International. During the conference, then President Ferdinac Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1509, thereby creating the National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP). The NCCDP was tasked to prepare and adopt an integrated and comprehensive long-term National Rehabilitation Plan (NRP).

From the time of its inception in 1978, the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Disabled, Inc. (PFRD) served as the NCCDP's Secretariat to assist the NCCDP Board in the implementation of its objectives and functions. This mandate stayed in effect until P.D. 1509 was amended by P.D. 1761 in January 4, 1981. For the different government agencies to be able to effectively perform its role in implementing this law, the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) was created. As such, the NCWDP is the lead agency tasked to steer the course of program development for persons with disabilities and the delivery of services to the sector. It is tasked to monitor and coordinate the efforts made by different agencies in the implementation of the Magna Carta.

The NCWDP is also the central authority mandated to direct, coordinate and integrate planning, management and implementation of all activities pertaining to disability prevention, rehabilitation of, and equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. Subsequently, the NCWDP passed a board resolution creating the Regional Committee for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (RCWDP) in all regions. The RCWDP serves as an advisory body in the region that will provide direction in the formulation and implementation of programs and services for persons with disabilities as well as resolution of issues and concerns of the disability sector. Moreover, RCWDP is tasked to recommend policies and programs for persons with disabilities to the NCWDP for appropriate action.

From the success of the programs initiated during the International Year of Disabled Persons, the Decade of Disabled Persons (1981-1991) was proclaimed for nationwide observance on December 17, 1981, with NCCDP as the lead agency. To further espouse and strengthen the observance of, as well as the implementation of, the thrusts of the Decade, Proclamation No. 125 was issued by then President Fidel V. Ramos on January 15, 1993. This Proclamation enjoins both the government and the private entities to organize projects based on the policy categories mentioned in the Agenda for Action of the Decade.

President Gloria Arroyo, through the Office of the President, created policies to further strengthen the Government's programs related to the welfare of persons with disabilities. President Arroyo affected the reorganization of NCWDP through Executive Order No. 676, signed on 199 , thereby detaching it as an attached agency of DSDW. The said Executive Order is devised in order to closely monitor and improve the Government actions and programs for persons with disabilities. By virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 709, issued on February 26, 2008 the functions and organizational structure of NCWDP is further redefined, and it is renamed as the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

At present, the Philippines' National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is the national government agency mandated to formulate policies and to coordinate the activities of all agencies, both public and private, concerning disability issues and concerns. NCDA is mandated to monitor the implementation of several laws to ensure the protection of Persons With Disabilities civil and political rights. It has also been tasked, through Proclamation No. 125, to coordinate activities, and to monitor the observance of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002) in the Philippines.

NCDA is tasked to strengthen the database on disability for policy formulation and program development, conducts policy review and consultation dialogues with different stakeholders, right holders and duty bearers in preparation for the participation on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

2.5 Public Awareness

The country's annual nationwide observance of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week (NDPR Week), held from July 17 to July 23, is the Philippines' major vehicle in raising public awareness on disability issues and concerns. The annual NDPR is a means to raise awareness about the rights, needs, potentials, and contribution to development of persons with disabilities.

Advocacy coupled with information, education and communication (IEC) campaign strategies and tools are employed to generate awareness and to effect behavioral/attitudinal modifications on the public perception of disability and persons with disabilities. These information tools include:

  • Radio/TV plugs
  • Photo exhibits/information caravans
  • Painting/photography, and other forms of talent competitions
  • Puppet shows
  • Disability-related publications; e.g. magazines, directory of rehabilitation services and resources, annual reports, booklets/leaflets on services for persons with disability, posters, brochures
  • Press conferences, press releases, news features
  • Trade fairs and bazaars for products of persons with disabilities
  • Employment fairs to increase awareness on the availability of employable persons with disabilities
  • Conferences, symposia, lecture series, local assemblies, and giving of awards to recognize efforts of private individuals and organizations supporting of persons with disabilities.

The Philippine Postal Corporation issued Commemorative Stamps on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons in 1998. Athletes with disabilities are included in the annual Philippine National Games Sports competition. This led to the organization of a national sports association for persons with disabilities called PHILSPADA (Philippines Sports Association for the Differently-Abled). Filipino athletes with disabilities have won honors for the country in international sports competitions, such as the Fespic and Paralympic games.

Job fairs and employment talk-shops were held in different parts of the country to promote the employability of persons with disabilities. Annual trade fairs showcasing products made by persons with disability have been conducted in the country's shopping malls. Advertising agencies have likewise included disability dimensions in their program concepts for commercial advertisements. The country also participates regularly in International Abilympics, which is the Olympics of Trade Skills of Persons with Disabilities. The country delegation is composed of winners of the National Skills Competition conducted by the Philippines' Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in which persons with disability are welcome to compete.

A Philippine Dictionary of Signs was developed in 1999, including a VHS tape complement, to standardize sign language for Filipinos with hearing impairments. Funding for this project was provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The manual was circulated in schools and to organizations of those with hearing-impairments as well as other interested parties. In addition, two national television programs in the country are provided with sign language interpretation.

2.6 Accessibility and Communications

In recognizing the overall importance of accessibility in providing equal opportunities and full participation to persons with disabilities, a special monitoring team has been organized, with the Department of Public Works and Highways as the lead agency. The monitoring team is created primarily to monitor buildings and establishments for public use in order to ensure compliance with the Accessibility Law. The monitoring team includes one or more persons with disabilities who use the access features of facilities. Their inclusion in the monitoring team is for the purpose of determining whether such access features comply with the specific requirements stipulated in the Accessibility Law. The DPWH has funds allocated in its budget to meet the accessibility requirements of public infrastructures.

To promote accessibility in transportation, seminars are conducted by concerned agencies of government as well as organizations of persons with disabilities to orient jeepney and bus drivers and other transport operators on the requirements of the Accessibility Law. In large establishments, parking spaces are designated for the exclusive use of persons with disabilities. To further increase their mobility, this law was implemented in 1992, thereby enabling persons with disabilities who meet the criteria of the policies and guidelines set by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to apply for a driver's license. In addition, A Manual on Assisting Disabled and Elderly Persons Who Travel (ADEPT) in Land, Sea and Air Transportation was developed in 1995 and disseminated to the concerned sectors. ADEPT training has been conducted for personnel and crew of sea, land and air transportation firms since 1995.

Accessibility has been included in the curricula of architecture and engineering programs and in the Philippine National Building Code of 1993 through the efforts of the United Architects of the Philippines.

2.7 Education

The Department of Education (DepEd) promotes inclusive education that mainstreams students with disabilities in regular classes. DepEd has issued several policies related to people with disabilities, including the following:

  • Department Order No. 14, Series of 1993, Creation of Special Education Council;
  • Department Order No. 12, Series of 1999, Production of Textbooks for Learners with Visual Impairments; and
  • Department Order No. 11, Series of 2000, Recognizes Special Education Centers in the Philippines.

The Department of Education also conducts training of teachers on special needs education. Among the instructional materials developed include:

  • Community-based resource materials for the visually-impaired, mentally-challenged and hearing-impaired;
  • Basic learning competencies for students with visual impairments for Elementary and Secondary levels;
  • Integrated Program Package on children with autism focusing on education, early detection, and intervention; and
  • Resource materials for the Community-Based Special Education Program for the Blind and Deaf Who are Out of School.

Limited provision for funding assistance to deserving students with disabilities is given through the Private Education Financial Assistance (PESFA) program. Parent-Teacher fora are conducted to address concerns of children with special needs. Moreover, parents of disabled children are trained to advocate issues on behalf of their children.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has initiated the TAWAG program, a continuing Education without Barriers program, to enhance the physical, social, mental, and psychological abilities of children and out-of-school youth with disabilities through their integration into day-care services or special and regular schools. Resources for the Blind (RBI), a non-government organization, and the government-owned Philippine Printing House for the Blind (PPHB) provide Braille services. PPHB also translates into Braille academic books for use in the elementary and secondary schools.

2.8 Training and Employment

National training and employment programs were developed and implemented in support of the training and eventual employment of persons with disabilities, including the following:

  • Tulong Alalay sa Taong Maykapansanan (Support Services to Persons with Disabilities) was started in 1994, with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as the lead agency. This program has the following components: skills mapping, skills training, wage employment, and self-employment;
  • Assistance Package for Persons with Disabilities was started in 2000 by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It provides the following services to persons with disabilities: skills and livelihood training, product upgrade, development and marketing, trade fair participation, development of entrepreneurial capability, and business management skills;
  • Philippine National Skills Competition for Persons with Disabilities, which is a program started in 2001 by the Technical, Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). As of the second quarter of 2002, TESDA has provided training, including training on livelihood, entrepreneurship, values formation, leadership and advocacy, to 1,301 persons with disabilities. It has also granted scholarships to 914 persons with disabilities in technical vocational courses through the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) program; and
  • Science and Technology Intervention for the Poor, the Vulnerable and Persons with Disabilities, which is a program developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). This program provides funding for equipment/facilities, working capital, and other incidental expenses of projects for people with disabilities and their organizations.

Training programs have been organized and conducted for persons with disabilities by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the areas of: reflexology, waste recycling, bonsai growing, cut-flower and orchid growing, shell craft, weaving and mat making, cattle fattening and goat raising, slippers, stuffed-toys and candle making, meat processing and baking, compost soil preparation and landscape gardening, and doormat/potholders and paper-mache making. Persons with disabilities who were successful in their training were provided soft loans to start their own business.

The DSWD continues to provide training and employment to the sector through the strategically-located National Vocational Rehabilitation Centers and the Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshops that are located in various parts of the country. These centers are currently being upgraded to make them more tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities.

On the other hand, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has Republic Act No. 8759, also known as the Public Employment Service Offices (PESO), which was signed on 2000 to provide employment assistance, especially to persons with disabilities, at the municipal and city levels.

2.9 Prevention of the Causes of Disability

The Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the private sector and other government agencies, conducts advocacy campaigns in the area of prevention of the causes of disabilities. Prevention measures undertaken by DOH include: immunization and vaccination, screening of newborn babies, free distribution of vitamin A capsules as a way to prevent blindness, iron tablet supplementation, production and distribution of iodized salt, mother and child care program, pre-natal and post natal care, and nutrition education. In addition, several non-governmental organizations and civic groups operate medical missions or mobile clinics to provide early intervention to communicable diseases and illnesses.

The DENR has implemented an action program in support of measures to prevent causes of disabilities through: prevention of accidents as a major cause of disability, information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns on ill-effects of pollution and environmental degradation, and the provision of first aid/safety procedures for emergency treatment. DOLE, on the other hand, through the Occupational Safety and Health Center, conducts safety regulation programs for the prevention of accidents in workplaces in order to prevent occupation-related disabilities.

At the local level, Local Government Units (LGUs) through the Social Welfare and Development Offices, undertake the following programs towards the prevention of the causes of disabilities: nutrition programs and classes on proper food preparation and handling, classes on responsible parenthood, supplemental feeding programs, classes for caregivers, identification/screening/ referral to proper service providers of patients identified with cataract, training of community health workers, parents, and paramedic professionals on preventive pediatrics, and genetic counseling. Health Centers under the operational supervision of LGUs extend medical services for early intervention or treatment of diseases. These Centers also conduct training and education programs on health, proper nutrition, hygiene, and other aspects of medical care. Community health workers, families, counselors and other allied health professionals also undergo training on preventive pediatrics and genetic counseling for early identification, management and prevention of congenital impairments in children. Training of medical, paramedical and related personnel is conducted by both government and non-government organizations as well as by professional associations.

2.10 Rehabilitation

The community-based rehabilitation (CBR) approach is used to provide services to persons with disabilities as a response to the limited number of hospitals equipped with rehabilitation facilities and units. The NCWDP developed the Philippine Handbook on Community-Based Rehabilitation in 1993, which was field tested in 1994 and disseminated to relevant agencies/organizations in 1995. As of 2000, some 44 regional and provincial hospitals in the country have rehabilitation units that provide services to persons with disabilities. The DOH, recognizing its limited resources to reach out to persons with disability in the rural areas, uses the CBR approach in its delivery of health services. The agency's 2001 statistics indicate that 896 local supervisors, who are household members and advocates, and 448 intermediate supervisors were trained by DOH on basic rehabilitation techniques, covering 112 municipalities and cities nationwide. CBR has also been integrated in allied medical degree courses in selected universities, including the state-owned University of the Philippines. A number of NGOs, including organizations providing services to persons with disabilities, are using the CBR approach to deliver services through the trained community volunteers/workers.

KAMPI, a national federation of 241 organizations of persons with disabilities in the Philippines, operates and maintains 60 community-based centers, called Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Centers (STAC), for children with disabilities aged 0-14 years old. As of 2008, these Centers have provided rehabilitation and pre-school training to more than 7,000 disabled children - making KAMPI one of the largest providers of rehabilitation services for children with disabilities in the country. The facilities are owned and operated by persons with disabilities, with the help of about a hundred professional staff. Funding for this initiative is provided by the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA) through the Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims, which is a Danish organization of persons with disabilities.

2.11 Assistive Devices

Provision of assistive devices and equipment is recognized by the Philippine Government as an important measure to achieve the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of National Defense (DND), the NCWDP and the Local Government Units have augmentation funds to provide subsidy, albeit limited, for the purchase of assistive devices for persons with disabilities who cannot afford the cost of such devices. These devises include wheelchairs, crutches, braces, canes, artificial limbs, corrective eyeglasses and hearing aids, among others. As funds for these are limited, only a number of beneficiaries are assisted each year, usually on a first-come-first-served basis.

Research on the use of indigenous materials in the production of assistive devices has been conducted. However, instructional manuals on these have yet to be developed. Training of community-based workers in appropriate paper-based technology for constructing assistive devices and technical aids were conducted at various CBR sites in the country. NCWDP has developed a Catalogue of Assistive Devices in 1996 which has been distributed to relevant government organizations and non-government organizations. NCWDP reports indicate that there are 16 government and 10 non-government facilities in the Philippines that produce assistive devices and provide training on the use of these devices.

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