BAGUIO CITY, July 25 (PNA) — Officers and members of the Federation of Persons with Disabilities (FPWD) in Baguio City have expressed their desire for the establishment of a PWD office where they can avail of services and cater to their needs.
With this development, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baguio City is considering to open a Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) in the city and in compliance with Republic Act (RA) 10070 or the Accessibility Law.
Baguio City Federation of Persons with Disabilities (BCFPD) President Avelino Tomas on July 24 said the creation of a PDAO in the city would address the mounting concerns and inconveniences experienced by PWD’s.
Section 40, RA10070 states that a PDAO shall be created in every province, city and municipality.
It further provides that the local chief executive shall appoint a PWD affairs officer who shall manage and oversee the operations of the office.
City Budget Officer Leticia Clemente, during the regular session of the City Council on Monday, said that since the city government had already exceeded the 45 percent ceiling limit on the hiring of personnel, the possibility of creating a PDAO would have to wait until 2016.
The City Council is pushing for the establishment of a PDAO this year but Clemente said, “Right now, what we can do is to find other means of intervention but we will try to integrate the proposal on the next budget deliberations”.
The drafting of the city’s budget started this month until October.
Clemente added that the PWD’s, in the mean-time, could avail of the services of Social Workers under the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (OCSWADO), where PWD programs and projects have fund allocations.
Clemente said the BCFPWD should also have their organization accredited by the city government as a civil society group in order that it could be involved in the planning of the different programs and projects of the city.
The proposal to establish a PDAO can also be incorporated in the Development and Investment Plan of the city so that it can be already implemented by 2016.(PNA)