DSWD Secretary Luwalhati Pablo denied issuing such an order, instead passing along the responsibility to the managers of commercial facilities that have "suspended" the activities of the blind.
According to the spokesman for a militant party-list group, the DSWD order particularly cited a privately owned chain of malls and stations of the government-run Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit where visually impaired singers and massage therapists will no longer be allowed to offer their services to the public.
Gary Panibon, public information officer of Bayan Muna, said they learned about this from news reports.
On the other hand, Pablo explained it was the management of the mall chain and LRT and MRT that informed the DSWD they wanted these activities stopped during the Christmas months to "put order" to their facilities since mall and commuting traffic goes up with the coming of the Yuletide season.
In a telephone interview, Pablo pointed out the DSWD was actually the agency that helped blind workers gain access to these public areas "for free."
"If we have it our way, we want them to continue what they’re doing there. But we don’t have any control over these establishments," Pablo said.
A group of blind people called the Kapakanan ng mga Maralitang may Kapansanan was mulling whether to hold a series of protest actions at the central office of the DSWD in Quezon City.
"These are blind people who work very hard so that they won’t be dependent on anyone. They do not get any social services from the government and yet they are being subjected to this kind of injustice," Panibon said.
He noted it would be a big loss for the blind people if they would not be allowed in these bustling public areas especially during the Christmas season when they could earn more.
"It’s saddening that this had to happen this Christmas season. These people are doing their best to have a decent living. What they need is our support," he said.