Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas has appealed to local government units (LGUs) to establish their own Disability Affairs Offices (PDAOs) pursuant to Republic Act 10070 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, as amended.
Mr Vargas said that to further ensure the implementation of programs and services for persons with disabilities as mandated by RA 10070 enacted in 2010, LGUs should establish PDAOs in all states, cities and municipalities. He said he expects to play a role in establishing
“More than 12 years after the law was enacted, Filipinos with disabilities remain vulnerable to marginalization as PDAOs have not been established in many LGUs in the country,” Vargas said. He said in House Resolution 209, previously submitted to the House.
Of the country’s 81 provinces, 146 cities and 1,488 municipalities, only a total of 387 LGUs have established PDAOs as of June 2021, among resolutions reported by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). Vargas pointed out.
Of the 387 LGUs, only 254 have designated Focal Persons, and in the absence of one they may still function as PDAOs, especially in Grade 4 to Grade 7 municipalities.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for Filipinos with disabilities to access certain social services, and local PDAOs could have mitigated these accessibility issues,” Vargas said. says.
The resolution also noted the need for the PDAO and its designated focal points to actively monitor and update data on persons with disabilities in the country to support the provision of social services for persons with disabilities. I mentioned
“We have been waiting for over a decade. It is time to deliver on our promise of better and more accessible social services for Filipinos with disabilities and their families,” added Vargas.
In 2021, then-Quezon City District 5 Rep. Alfredo Vargas, brother of incumbent Rep. Vargas, introduced a similar resolution during the 18th Congress.
