Bets push for more aid for PWDs
TWO senatorial candidates agreed that Filipino persons with disabilities (PWDs) deserve more assistance and support. During the program TownHall: The 2025 Election Series by The Manila Times and radio station DZRH, former National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) convenor Liza Maza said PWDs who are poor do not get enough aid. "They are always left behind and underserved, so there should be an investigation into who are really the PWDs among the poor and deserve proper assistance, so I think there needs to be a policy to institute that," she said in Filipino. Maza, who ran for senator in 2010, added that many buildings are not PWD-friendly. "There are also buildings without elevators or escalators. You really need to climb the stairs, even if you're a PWD, and that's a problem, so there needs to be compliance, because there are laws stating that our buildings and roads need to be PWD-friendly," she said. On the issue of fake PWD ID cards, the former Gabriela partylist representative said there is no fake ID if no one could give it. "It's not about the recipient but the giver. So those who distributed fake IDs should be held accountable, and these are in the government. Let's not blame it on the people, because they can't have access to the fake IDs if there's no one to give it to them," Maza said. "Sometimes, we even blame the PWDs and put them in a bad light, so those giving the fake IDs need to be punished," she said. She also highlighted the need for better establishments catering to PWDs and more home care. "It's not a thing here in this country, and the facilities are substandard, so it's time for better establishments where the community and the parents can have a dynamic interaction in these institutions. ... There's also a program where the family and the institutions would interact for better care to our PWDs and senior citizens," Maza said. Lawyer and professor Angelo de Alban said the government is the number one violator when it comes to PWD access in public buildings. "When you go to national and local government buildings, they have no ramps, their stairs are too high, and there are no elevators. What I propose is to add a penal provision in our laws to prioritize the rights of our PWDs. The problem with our laws is that there are no penal provisions, which means they cannot be incarcerated if they didn't follow. If you make a penal provision, they won't be able to do much because they'll be sued," de Alban said in Filipino. He said there should be a free developmental assessment, which means the youth and PWDs should be examined by the right specialist so they could have the right diagnosis because disabilities are not all physical but also mental. "Let's not negate or ignore the mental disability of a person because not all disabilities are visible. We should understand, especially for children with special needs, that we should affirm their condition and raise awareness so that they're not in denial," he stressed. De Alban said the public should look out for people who issue fake PWD cards, and if there is a basis for them to give these IDs to those who need them. "If there is an assessment or diagnosis, then he should be given a PWD card," de Alban said. He also wants a "pro-active response" from the government for parents of children with special needs, since they are also taxpayers. "We need to have a law that gives priority for (PWD) needs," he said. De Alban said there must be no discrimination in the workforce against PWDs who are able-bodied and those who wish to seek employment. "It's time to remove discrimination in the workforce, because if your disability isn't affecting your workload, your salary should be complete because it's not affecting your efficiency or competence, so it should be complete," he said. "We always said that PWDs should be given equal status, if not more, because they have less in life. Their conditions are already difficult, then they don't hire them because of discrimination ... so that's why we need to give way for PWDs because they can work and their job doesn't affect their disability," de Alban said. Maza agreed, saying companies should give PWDs an incentive, particularly those who are able-bodied. "If you're hiring a PWD, you could be given a tax break, a tax cut, or even government incentives because you're doing good by hiring PWDs and you're making them productive," she said. Earlier this year, restaurant owners warned against fake PWD ID cards due to financial issues, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) urged the public to report those who are using fake PWD ID cards. Last Friday, the DSWD and the National Council on Disability Affairs assured the public that the delivery of basic services to PWDs will remain the same under a new, unified ID system.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
TWO senatorial candidates agreed that Filipino persons with disabilities (PWDs) deserve more assistance and support.
During the program TownHall: The 2025 Election Series by The Manila Times and radio station DZRH, former National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) convenor Liza Maza said PWDs who are poor do not get enough aid.
"They are always left behind and underserved, so there should be an investigation into who are really the PWDs among the poor and deserve proper assistance, so I think there needs to be a policy to institute that," she said in Filipino.
Maza, who ran for senator in 2010, added that many buildings are not PWD-friendly.
"There are also buildings without elevators or escalators. You really need to climb the stairs, even if you're a PWD, and that's a problem, so there needs to be compliance, because there are laws stating that our buildings and roads need to be PWD-friendly," she said.
On the issue of fake PWD ID cards, the former Gabriela partylist representative said there is no fake ID if no one could give it.
"It's not about the recipient but the giver. So those who distributed fake IDs should be held accountable, and these are in the government. Let's not blame it on the people, because they can't have access to the fake IDs if there's no one to give it to them," Maza said.
"Sometimes, we even blame the PWDs and put them in a bad light, so those giving the fake IDs need to be punished," she said.
She also highlighted the need for better establishments catering to PWDs and more home care.
"It's not a thing here in this country, and the facilities are substandard, so it's time for better establishments where the community and the parents can have a dynamic interaction in these institutions. ... There's also a program where the family and the institutions would interact for better care to our PWDs and senior citizens," Maza said.
Lawyer and professor Angelo de Alban said the government is the number one violator when it comes to PWD access in public buildings.
"When you go to national and local government buildings, they have no ramps, their stairs are too high, and there are no elevators. What I propose is to add a penal provision in our laws to prioritize the rights of our PWDs. The problem with our laws is that there are no penal provisions, which means they cannot be incarcerated if they didn't follow. If you make a penal provision, they won't be able to do much because they'll be sued," de Alban said in Filipino.
He said there should be a free developmental assessment, which means the youth and PWDs should be examined by the right specialist so they could have the right diagnosis because disabilities are not all physical but also mental.
"Let's not negate or ignore the mental disability of a person because not all disabilities are visible. We should understand, especially for children with special needs, that we should affirm their condition and raise awareness so that they're not in denial," he stressed.
De Alban said the public should look out for people who issue fake PWD cards, and if there is a basis for them to give these IDs to those who need them.
"If there is an assessment or diagnosis, then he should be given a PWD card," de Alban said.
He also wants a "pro-active response" from the government for parents of children with special needs, since they are also taxpayers.
"We need to have a law that gives priority for (PWD) needs," he said.
De Alban said there must be no discrimination in the workforce against PWDs who are able-bodied and those who wish to seek employment.
"It's time to remove discrimination in the workforce, because if your disability isn't affecting your workload, your salary should be complete because it's not affecting your efficiency or competence, so it should be complete," he said.
"We always said that PWDs should be given equal status, if not more, because they have less in life. Their conditions are already difficult, then they don't hire them because of discrimination ... so that's why we need to give way for PWDs because they can work and their job doesn't affect their disability," de Alban said.
Maza agreed, saying companies should give PWDs an incentive, particularly those who are able-bodied.
"If you're hiring a PWD, you could be given a tax break, a tax cut, or even government incentives because you're doing good by hiring PWDs and you're making them productive," she said.
Earlier this year, restaurant owners warned against fake PWD ID cards due to financial issues, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) urged the public to report those who are using fake PWD ID cards.
Last Friday, the DSWD and the National Council on Disability Affairs assured the public that the delivery of basic services to PWDs will remain the same under a new, unified ID system.
