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NOV.

20, 2012

NR # 2929

Establishment of rehabilitation centers for disabled children and young adults pushed
A lawmaker is strongly pushing for the establishment of centers for children and young adults with disabilities in all cities and municipalities throughout the country. Rep. Ma. Evita Arago (3rd District, Laguna) filed House Bill 6653 establishing rehabilitation centers, which will provide comprehensive rehabilitations, social and educational services to children 14 years old and below and young adults 15 to 35 years old with disabilities. According to Arago, the government has the responsibility to facilitate the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) as provided in Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The State shall provide for the rehabilitation and training of children and young adults with disabilities to ensure their right to live freely and independently will be achieved, Arago said. Arago said early intervention or regular therapy sessions for PWDs are important to enable them to develop, be integrated and to acquire skills that are necessary for daily living. The average cost of therapies or interventions for PWDs amount to hundreds of pesos for every hour of service and makes the access to such sessions for poor Filipino PWDs nearly impossible, Arago said. The measure, also known as the Youth with Disabilities Empowerment, requires the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) to directly supervise the rehabilitation centers for children and young adults with disabilities in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government unit concerned. Under the measure, the Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office and Municipal Health Office shall designate social and health workers as staff members for the centers. Each center shall be composed of an Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Special Education teacher, Barangay Health Worker, trained in providing basic rehabilitation, and Social Workers who will identify, assess and provide the social services

to be rendered to the children and young adults with disabilities and their families. A volunteer rehabilitation doctor or a developmental pediatrician from a nearby public hospital should evaluate the beneficiaries and provide initial rehabilitation plans to guide the team who are tasked to provide comprehensive rehabilitations, social and educational services. Speech therapists, psychologists and other specialists and trained volunteers may be employed to provide services in the centers. The NCDA, in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), DSWD, Department of Health (DOH) and organizations advocating the rights of persons with disabilities such as Ang Pederasyon ng mga Magulang na May mga Anak na Maykapansanan sa Pilipinas, Inc (AMAMI) shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations. The bill defines person with disability as a person who has a restriction or limitation in personal mobility, cognitive, mental, sensory communication and development restrictions resulting in the impairment and hindrance of his or her full development and effective participation in society. (30) jsc

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