Republic Act No. 10524

Hooray for positive changes!  President Aquino signed RA 10524 last month which is an act expanding the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability.  It assures equal opportunity for employment stating that "No person with disability shall be denied access to opportunities for suitable employment."

The law states that at least one percent (1%) of the work force of all government agencies shall be reserved for PWDs; and private corporations with more than a hundred employees are also "encouraged" to do the same.

The copy of the law can be found here.

Prohibitions on Ridicule and Vilification Against PWDs

As stated in the RA 9442 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.

Deliverance from Public Ridicule

Public ridicule shall be defined as an act of making fun or contemptuous imitating or making mockery of persons with disability whether in writing, or in words, or in action due to their impairment/s.

No individual, group or community shall execute any of these acts of ridicule against persons with disability in any time and place which could intimidate or result in loss of self-esteem of the latter.

Deliverance from Vilification

Vilification shall be defined as (a) the utterance of slanderous and abusive statements against a person with disability; and/or (b) an activity in public which incites hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of persons with disability.

Any individual, group or community is hereby prohibited from vilifying any person with disability which could result into loss of self-esteem of the latter.

Penal Clause

Any person who violates any provision of this Act shall suffer the following penalties:

(1) For the first violation, a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than two years, or both at the discretion of the court; and

(2) For any subsequent violation, a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not exceeding Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) or imprisonment for not less than two years but not more than six years, or both at the discretion of the court.

Source: NCDA and autismsocietyphilippines