A person with disability has been endorsed by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and consequently nominated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as the Philippine representative to the “Third Session of the United Nations Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ (UN-CRPD) slated on September 1-3 this year in New York, USA.

Mrs. Rosie Lovely T. Romulo, NCDA Chairperson, personally endorsed the nomination of Mr. Lauro D. Purcil, Jr. to the DFA, from among other local contenders who formally signified interest to participate as a nominee for a slot in the “UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. Referred to as ‘the Committee’’, this body is tasked to monitor the member states’ implementation of the Convention. If Mr. Purcil wins his bid in the UN, he will be among the 18 experts/members of the Committee. As called for in the Convention’s Article 34, the Committee started with 12 experts at the time of its entry into force in 2008. This membership shall increase by six (6), attaining a maximum number of 18 members, which is the UN Thirsd Session’s agenda.

Mr. Purcil is a visually cum speech impaired person currently working at the Special Education (SPED) Division of the Bureau of the Elementary Education, Department of Education as Education Program Specialist I. Concurrently, he serves as the Director of the Education, Training and Research Bureau of Alyansa ng May Kapansanang Pinoy, Inc. (AKAP-PINOY), a national organization of persons with cross disabilities. His nomination to the UN was endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to represent the Philippines which is among the 87-UN member countries which ratified the UN-CRPD. NCDA submitted his endorsement on July 16, 2010, way ahead of the deadline set by the United Nations.

As the government’s focal agency on disability matters, NCDA adheres to the principles of rights-based approach among persons with disabilities to make them more independent on an equal basis with other members of society, as provided for under the UN-CRPD. More importantly, it religiously acts in accordance with its mandate prescribed under Executive Order No. 709 issued on February 26, 2008, which accords dignity and respect to persons with disabilities in the country, following its obligations under existing human rights treaties.