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.

Procedures in ID Issuance to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

Every person with a disability may apply for a disability ID to avail of certain benefits like free movie tickets (Makati), 20% discount on basic commodities, medicines, transportation, etc.  Not everyone knows this, so if you know of a person who has a disability or chronic illness, please share the information.

NCDA Administrative Order Series of 2008 (Revised as of March 10, 2008)

B.1 Any bonafide person with permanent disability or his/her caregiver can obtain an application form from either of the following registration centers;

    Office of the Mayor
    Office of the Barangay Captain
    NCDA or its regional counterpart
    DSWD Offices
    Participating organizations with memorandum of agreements with the Department of Health

B.2 Applicant shall fill up the form, attaches two 1″ x 1″ picture with his or her signature or thumbmark behind.

B.3 He or she shall obtain a clinical abstract duly signed by any licensed private or government clinic or hospital-based physician and attach it with the application form.

B.4 Applicant, care-giver or registration center personnel then brings or uploads whichever is applicable, the application form and clinical abstract to the nearest City of Municipal Health Office or its satellite offices or stations at the barangay.

B.5 The receiving health office shall screen and perform the necessary medical and other allied medical assessment they deem necessary at no cost to the applicant for the accuracy of the entries with the actual and permanency of the condition of the PWD. If PWD is not ambulatory, the receiving health officer shall do a home visit to validate the entries and disability.

B.6 If entries of the application form and clinical abstract match the actual health condition of the PWD, the form with all attachments goes to the Health Officer of the Main City or Municipal Health Center.

B.7 The City or Municipal Health Officer shall fill up the certification form which shall be designed, reproduced and archived by the City of Municipal Health Office and shll contain but not limited to the following minimum information:

    First Name, Middle Initial and Last Name of Applicant PWD
    Diagnosis
    Complete Address
    Birthday
    Gender
    Father’s Name
    Mother’s Name
    Control Number
    Physician’s signature over Printed Name and License Number

B.8 The City or Municipal Health Officer shall affix the control number on the certification form and application form and sign the certificate of disability. The City of Municipal Health Officer shall then enter the duly signed certificate of disability to the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disabilities that can be loaded from the DOH National Office Website.

B.9 Applications that were disapproved shall be advised regarding the deficiencies and shall be allowed to reapply until complied.

B.10 The applicant or care-giver shall bring the duly approved application form and certificate of disability to the City or Municipal Social Welfare Office or NCDA for issuance of the identification card.

B.11 The nearest local Social Welfare Office or NCDA may screen applicants further and require a social case study if warranted.

B.12 If found to be a valid application, the receiving officer of the local SWO or NCDA shall record control number and issues ID to PWDs.

B.13 As to the disability that is not apparent, the establishments may ask from the PWD additional documents as proofs as to his/her disability.

C. Validity and Renewal of the ID Card

The ID card issued to the PWD shall be valid for three years only for the purpose of issuing identification cards. The first issuance shall be for free. While its renewal due to expiration, loss or damage, the issuing authorities, Mayor, Barangay Captain and NCDA shall charge minimal fee for the new ID card.

Go to this page to view the List of Provinces and Cities Issuing IDs to Persons With Disabilities.

From:  National Council on Disability Affairs
Download the form here: http://www.ncda.gov.ph/downloadable-forms

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