Skip to main content

Laoag dad eyes creation of PWD affairs office


By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff Reporter

Laoag City—A city councilor here sponsored a resolution calling for the creation of Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) with its corresponding personnel.

Laoag councilor Roque Benjamin Ablan, the resolution’s sponsor, said the measure aims to promote the social justice in all phases of national development as mandated by the 1987 Philippine Constitution in the Declaration of Principles and State Policies.

Under Article 13 of the same Constitution includes disabled persons as one of the priority sectors to be given access to essential goods and services at affordable cost and further provides that the State shall establish a special agency for disabled persons for their rehabilitation, self-deployment and self-reliance and their integration into the mainstream of the society.

Section 16 of RA No. 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 also states that “Government units shall ensure and support among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance economic prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents, maintain peace and order and preserve the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants”. 

On April 6, 2010, RA No. 10070 was approved ensuring the policies, programs and services for PDWs to be implemented at the local level for them to fully participate in building an exclusive society through the establishment of PDAO in all provinces, cities and municipalities.

Mr. Ablan said the measure is in support with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Order No. 2017-119 issued last September 13, 2017 regarding the Guidelines for the establishment of PDAO.

Relative to this, PDAO will sustain and will continuously carry out the task in monitoring, evaluation, data gathering, needs assessment, planning, establishment of production center, creation of job opportunities and advocacy in all cities and municipalities as the case maybe.

To carry out its mandate, the PDAO shall exercise its powers and functions such as to formulate and implement policies and programs for the promotion of the welfare of PWDs in coordination with concerned national government agencies particularly the National Council for Disability Affairs (NCDA) and local government offices. 

The positions include the disability affairs officer I, II and a disability affairs assistant.

Mr. Ablan however, said that the proposed ordinance depends on the availability of fund for appropriation.

Salaries and wages of personnel and MOOE of PDAO shall be drawn from the General Fund of the city.

For the succeeding years of implementation, the PDAO funding shall be included in the City’s Annual Plans and Budget.

Relative to this, the CSWDO record shows that the city government gives financial assistance to PWDs, gives assistive devices like wheel chairs prosthesis and referrals to other institutions.

The city government has also established and created the Stimulation Therapeutic Activity Center (STAC) giving free rehabilitation to 0 to 14 years old PWDs and free physical therapy catering the entire province of Ilocos Norte.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become...

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

 Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said.    Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel...

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi...