Thank you, Mr. President.
The Philippines is honored to participate in this Conference. The theme for this year’s Conference, Mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2015 development agenda, is of great importance to my country. In 2014, the Philippines together with Tanzania were the main sponsors of the Third Committee resolution entitled “Realizing the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities towards 2015 and beyond.”
Mr. President,
The Philippine Constitution values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for all human rights. Our National Human Rights Plan aims to mainstream human rights standards into all parts of national government and of national life. The Plan fully respects our obligations to safeguard the human rights of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities. The Philippines strongly supports measures for empowerment of these vulnerable groups, and advocates policies that aim to raise their participation and integration in society. Hence, the importance of attaining the Millennium Development Goals and building on these, to achieving the post-2015 development agenda.
Allow me, Mr. President, to share the steps that the Philippine Government has undertaken to ensure that national policies and programs are inclusive and accessible to all, and that the needs of persons with disabilities are taken into consideration and integrated in all aspects of social, economic, and political development efforts.
Mr. President,
The Philippine National Council on Disability Affairs or NCDA, the lead government agency in policy formulation and program development for persons with disabilities, has engaged national government agencies, local government units, NGOs, and disabled people’s organizations to establish local disability structures responsible for policy formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of the implementation of disability-relevant laws and policies at the local government level and the inclusion of a disability agenda in programs and projects of local government units and NGOs. In the first quarter of this year, the NCDA organized 33 functional disability-related structures; conducted nine local policy and program orientations; and trained 505 local leaders, NGO members, and other stakeholders from 12 provinces and cities on disability laws, programs, and policies.
The Regional Committees on Disability Affairs or RCDA have met in regional clusters during the first half of this year to provide direction to all RCDAs on the role of regional field offices in translating national laws into programs and services for persons with disabilities at the grassroots level. The cluster meetings, which gathered frontline agencies mandated to promote and ensure the rights of persons with disabilities, showcased the RCDA’s best practices in building the capacity of persons with disabilities to fully participate in social and economic activities in their respective communities.
Two months ago, planning and budget officers of government agencies and PWD leaders met to formulate the 2016 action plan for the PWD sector and to develop a road map for the Philippine Decade to Make the Right Real for Persons With Disabilities.
We continue to find ways to assist and provide benefits for PWDs who now enjoy discounted rates of 20% on purchases of domestic airline tickets, medicines, hotel accommodations, as well as at restaurants, sports and recreational centers, theaters, cinemas, and other places of leisure.
Mr. President,
As the post-2015 development agenda is being finalized, the Philippines hopes that PWDs are not left out in development activities to address basic issues of food security, nutrition, and accessible health services; education and employment; and other social protection programs. Persons with disabilities are agents of development and we must all assist, support, and continue to empower them in that role as we implement the post-2015 development agenda.
I thank you.