Page 23 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

SOCIETIES WORKING TOGETHER
Encouraging Local Government Units to Implement Community-Based

Inclusive Development for Persons with Disabilities

Fritz Enjhay
O. Cepe

n the Philippines, as with all national and No. 437, which encourages LGUs to adopt and
provincial ordinances adapted to the national implement the CBR programme as a strategy for
Ilaws related to disability laws, the leadership giving services to individuals with special needs.
counts. The PWD community enjoys the support “CBID is an approach to ensure that people with
of the Local Government Unit (LGU) officials, such disabilities are respected and included in their
as Local Chief Executive and Local Sangguniang communities on an equal basis in all areas of life.
Bayan/Panlalawigan. This situation is evident in the CBID is an essential contribution to CBM’s (the
establishment of the Persons with Disability Affairs Christian Blind Mission) vision of an inclusive world
Office, as required by the national law (referring to in which all PWD enjoy their human rights and
RA 10070).-- achieve their full potential.”

The Persons with Disability Affairs Office has When CBID starts in every province or city
catered programmes and services nationwide through the Persons with Disability Affairs Office,
through its functions, in which this document partnerships with different agencies, institutions
outlines the responsibilities of an organisation or and NGOs must also be strengthened to deliver the
department focusing on promoting the welfare services to the target clients successfully. Based
of PWD. The key tasks include formulating on Executive Order No. 437, LGUs are encouraged
and implementing policies, coordinating with to adopt CBRs as a strategy via orientations and
relevant government agencies, representing PWD trainings on CBR planning, implementation,
in development councils, involving NGOs and monitoring, and evaluation conducted for various
people’s organisations (POs), collecting data on government levels.
PWD, disseminating information, reporting to The LGUs are urged to:
local authorities, ensuring funding, monitoring • Enact a local ordinance adopting CBR with
fundraising, seeking donations and performing any the corresponding budget support.
other necessary functions for the welfare of PWD. • Include CBR in its Social Development Plan.

Nonetheless, one of the difficulties in sustaining • Designate a unit or focal person who shall
the programme for PWDs is the presence of coordinate the planning, implementation,
partisan politics. Every time there is a shift in monitoring and evaluation of CBR.
political leadership, so do programmes for PWD. • Organise the Municipal/City Committee
Occasionally, this works to the advantage of the for the welfare of PWD with accompanying
sector, but the opposite is often true. Programmes ordinances to ensure policy development,
for PWD usually take a back seat depending on management and coordination of service
how the current administration prioritises its delivery.
needs. Another struggle is in the PWD sector • Conduct CBR orientation for Barangay
itself. Empowerment is an issue because they are Captains and organise Barangay Committees
a vulnerable sector. PWD have trouble accessing to ensure that CBR is understood and
health, education, social justice and other auxiliary implemented at the barangay level.
and vital services.

Community-Based Inclusive Development
(CBID) was introduced following Executive Order

Vol. 01, Issue 4 | November 2023 22