PWDs’ rights vs discrimination

CBID Working Group. Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) workers from HELP Learning Center Foundation Inc. (HLCFI) participated in the 2nd PWD Congress held last July 11-12, 2019 at Naga Regent Hotel. In photo (from left) are Social Worker Paulo Papa, July Ballares, NCDA Information Officer Rizalio Sanchez, Joel Conacao, City Councilor Elmer Baldemoro and Lanica Donacao, and Chad Palmiano from Naga City Persons with Disability Federation.

NAGA CITY---The National Council for Disability Affairs (NCDA) reminded Persons With Disability (PWDs) that they may file complaints regarding any form of discrimination with the Prosecutor’s Office. This came out during the during the 2nd PWD Congress held at the Naga Regent Hotel here last last July 11.

Sponsored by the city government, thru the Naga City Persons with Disability Office (PDAO), and the Office of City Councilor Elmer Baldemoro, the two-day congress was held in celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week as part of the PWD Month.

NCDA information officer Rizalio Sanchez stressed that a PWD has the right to file a case directly with the prosecutor’s office if they think their basic human rights have been violated, like being mocked or maligned with insensitive statements in reference to their physical disability.

As stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabiltiies, a PWD may file his/her case directly with the courts, without having to go through the barangay court first, which is a regular procedure for domestics disputes and other violations of law.

Sanchez also introduced the sensitivity guide to PWDs, a collection of new recommended terminologies and phrases for PWDs, such as the following:

a) PWD instead of Disabled

b) Person with Intellectual Disability instead of Mentally Retarded

c) Hard of Hearing person instead of Deaf, Mute and Dumb

d) Wheelchair User instead of Confined to a wheelchair

e) Person with Physical Disability instead of Crippled

f) Little Person instead of Dwarf

g) Person with Down Syndrome instead of Mongoloid

h) Seizures instead of Fits

i) Persons with Mental Illness instead of Insane, Mad, Lunatic, or Crazy

j) Persons with Epilepsy instead of Epileptic.

Meanwhile, Sanchez noted that bus terminals in Labo and Daet, Camarines Norte are better than the Bicol Central Bus Terminal which is based in this city because the former have PWD-friendly facilities and the bus drivers religiously allocate the front seats for PWDs.