From: DOH WebPage
Press Release/24 September 2009
The Department of Health and the National Council on Disability Affairs today opened a two-day National Disability Summit at the Manila Pavilion Hotel in order to build a consensus among all stakeholders to establish high-impact national framework on disability.
The said National Summit is also the country's response to the ratification of the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held last 15 April 2008.
This year's theme, "Accessibility and Inclusive Development For All", highlights the need to formulate a coherent national strategy that will guide the implementation of disability programs from a rights-based perspective.
It is a high time that we coordinate and sustain all our efforts and integrate Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) into the mainstream of society," Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said. Duque stressed that PWDs should be given equal opprotunities, especially in the areas of livelihood and employment.
The Objectives of the National Disability Summit is to establish baseline and benchmarks on disability, through the conduct of consultative symposia with stakeholders, respond to the needs of national government agencies and local government units on how to mainstream disability in their plan of actions, programs, and budgetary processes.
The Summit also aims to identify support links and partnerships (vertical and horizontal) and to improve the delivery of services meant to empower PWDs as members of the community.
Some of the interesting topics to be discussed in the summit include mainstreaming disability in development (global, regional, and national perspectives), disability and public health, disability and health financing livelihood opportunities for PWD entrepreneurs, linking informal education to livelihood opportunities for PWDs, and sound practices in making public transportation accessible.
"Together we can achieve more. Let us make our country PWD- friendly," Duque concluded.
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