NCDA OIC CARMEN ZUBIAGA PRESENTS POLICY ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS  DURING THE DSWD 2019 MID-YEAR

NATIONAL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (NMDC)

       During the recent 2019 DSWD Mid-Year NMDC held at The Farm, Koronadal City, NCDA Officer-in-Charge, Director Carmen R. Zubiaga pointed out to the DSWD led by its Secretary and NCDA Chairperson, Rolando Joselito D. Bautista the need to review the implementation of RA No. 10070 within three (3) years after its effectivity last April 6, 2010.  The law provides the creation of “Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO)” in every province, city and  first (1^st), second (2^nd) and third (3^rd) class municipalities, and the designation of  Focal Person who shall perform the functions of PDAO in the fourth (4^th), fifth (5^th) and sixth (6^th) class municipalities.  She enjoined DSWD to convene the concerned agencies to review the implementation of the law and come up with recommendations for its amendment if necessary, and to allocate budget for capacity building of PDAO thru NCDA.

        OIC Zubiaga also underscored the provisions of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (RA No. 7277) that the national government should ensure that annual budget for the provision of disability-related programs, support services and auxiliary social services  for the sector of persons with disabilities are provided. Thus, she pointed out the need for DSWD to provide funds for assistive devices and specialty medical intervention for persons with disabilities.  She further enjoined the Department to facilitate the orientation and training of all PWD focal persons and frontline staff of Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) on disability awareness and sensitivity to effectively respond in providing human rights-based services for persons with disabilities.

      OIC Zubiaga also met with the Region XII Federation of Persons with Disabilities which is now engaged with livelihood projects with the full support from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and  DSWD.