Imee threatens to take funds from NCDA

MANILA, Philippines — For failure to provide basic information like the total number of persons with disabilities, Sen. Imee Marcos has threatened to deprive the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) of its P20.4-million budget.

Marcos expressed disappointment as NCDA executive director Joniro Fradejas could not provide the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development with the updated number of persons with disability (PWDs) during yesterday’s public hearing on Senate Bills 31 (Monthly Social Pension for Indigent Persons with Disability) and 501 (Disability Support Fund).

“Maybe, we should just transfer (the budget) to another agency, like the DOH (Department of Health), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) or LGUs (local government units) and PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority). We will remove your budget, I’m threatening you because 12 years and nothing is happening. Then you still deny the responsibility to include PWDs on your list,” Marcos said.

The senator pointed out that being the government agency in charge of PWDs’ records, the NCDA should at least have the records of the updated total number of PWDs.

“Everyone is hoping that there is a database of verified and certified listing of the DSWD and NCDA. I would like to inquire whether such a list actually exists. Because a database is our weakness in providing PWDs identification card as it has been our problem,” she said.

“Is your list complete? An estimate indicated that there are 12 percent of PWDs among 110 million Filipinos. How many do you have on your list?” she asked.

As of 2022, they have only 1.75 percent, according to Fradejas, as he noted that they have to get the records from LGUs.

Another NCDA official, Programs Management Division chief Krizelle Ramos, said they have 670,000 registered PWDs based on the DOH’s records, but Marcos said the figure was too small compared with the reported figure.

NCDA deputy executive director Mateo Lee Jr. said the PSA has a record of 1,142,000 PWDs, but the IDs issued were only 674,000.

Marcos inquired from the DSWD about its records on PWDs, and Assistant Secretary Janet Armas said the agency has the same number as that of the NCDA.

“There are only 674,000 on the list of the PWDs. What is the process of registration and verification, as it seems their list is insufficient?” Marcos said.

Ramos said not all LGUs are uploading information with the Philippine Registry of PWDs, an attached agency of the DOH.

Marcos said government agencies like the DSWD, DOH and DepEd have significant portions of their budget dedicated to PWDs.

She added that the Departments of Agriculture and Information and Communications Technology (DICT) could also assist PWDs by providing training and connectivity.

“The DICT can be relevant, as we all know PWDs could find it difficult if there is no remote working condition,” the senator said, as she told the NCDA that it is “not off the hook.”

“As stated earlier, the database is squarely in your mandate, so please, the database is your responsibility. Let us try to derive existing financial programs that can address the plight of PWDs and, at the same time, also be creative and innovative in providing not necessarily cash outlay, requiring assistance to PWDs, such as free therapy, government hospitals, cooperation and training on the LGU level,” she added.