Text and photos by MARIA FEONA IMPERIAL
THERE is still no Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in Valenzuela City but programs and services for PWDs extend beyond what an actual office could provide.
Ma. Kristina Ramos, focal person for PWD affairs, said there is already an ordinance for the creation of a PDAO but the law has yet to be implemented.
However, the quality of the programs and services for PWDs matters more than an office, Ramos insists. In the meantime, PWD concerns are accommodated mainly in the city social welfare department office and the Disabled Persons Affairs Committee (DPAC).
Established in 1996, the DPAC is composed of the heads of different local government units, and receives an annual budget of P500,000 to P1,000,000 directly from the local government.
Ramos says they have different sources of funding. For instance, funds for medicines are drawn from the city’s Emergency Welfare Program, while therapy needs fall under the annual PWD budget.
Valenzuela has clinics for physical, occupational and speech therapy, Ramos said.
A total of 9,344 PWDs are registered and have PWD IDs but according to the survey done by the city government, there are 20,000.
Beyond the basic provision of assistive devices, the CSWD also conducts home visitation services that cover the educational, health and employment needs of PWDs who cannot visit their office.
Ramos said the priority is for PWDs to have “easy access” for these services.
The CSWD office is located at the ground floor of the Valenzuela City Hall, where there are ramps in every entrance and accessible toilets in all floors.
The PWD affairs unit, Ramos said, is focused on conducting a survey among PWDs to assess their needs, concerns and strengths, among others. This is key to having a comprehensive program for PWDs, she pointed out.
For the longest time, she added, surveys paid little attention to the needs of PWDs. She hopes that through this one, they would be able to come up with credible data.