Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Philippines (Ratification: 1991)

Article 2 of the Convention. Implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that the National Plan of Action for the Philippine Decade of Make the Rights Real for Persons with Disabilities 2013–22 has been prepared in accordance with the 3rd Asian and the Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2013–22. The Committee notes with interest that the Republic Act No. 10524, known as the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities”, was adopted in 2013. It notes that the Sub-Committee of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) on Accessibility on Built Environment and Transportation and the Sub-Committee on Training, Employment and Livelihood have held regular meetings in order to develop policies, programmes and projects for persons with disabilities. The regional committees on disability affairs have also been convened to discuss issues which need policies to be developed. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, including details of the activities of the relevant subcommittees. Please also include information on the implementation of the National Plan of Action for the Philippine Decade of Make the Rights Real for Persons with Disabilities 2013–22.

Article 3. Promotion of employment opportunities in the open labour market. The Government indicates that the Department of Social Welfare and Development carries out projects and programmes, including by providing sheltered workshops for persons with disabilities in community-based facilities where vocational training and productive employment are offered, and rehabilitation sheltered workshops which offer vocational rehabilitation and skills training. The Committee notes that the Non-Handicapping Environment Project which aims to improve access of persons with disabilities to education and employment was jointly conducted in 2012 by the NCDA and Japan International Cooperation Agency, with the technical assistance provided by the Asia–Pacific Development Centre on Disability through capacity-building of stakeholders and persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that, in 2012, the NCDA conducted a national campaign entitled “May PWD ID Ako, Kasali Ako” which aimed to ensure that all persons with disabilities are registered and issued Persons with Disabilities identification cards in order to exercise their rights. It also indicates that a campaign on inclusive education was implemented by the NCDA, including the participation in a High Level Officials’ Benchmarking Workshop held in Australia and the development of the Philippine Policy Framework on Inclusive Education in 2012. The Committee notes that discussions were held on bills regarding inclusive education in technical working groups of related senate committees. The Committee requests the Government to continue to submit information on the measures taken to provide appropriate vocational rehabilitation and to promote employment for persons with disabilities in the open labour market, as well as information on the impact of the measures implemented on the employment situation of persons with disabilities.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Government indicates that various multi-sectoral consultations, including with government agencies, employers and organizations of persons with disabilities, have been conducted for the adoption of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities. It also indicates that the NCDA intensified its collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organizations of and for persons with disabilities and its counterparts overseas so as to address the growing concerns of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that, in this regard, the NCDA has conducted various disability-related events as well as the first Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) Congress in 2012 where 64 PDAO heads and 17 persons with disabilities acting as Focal Persons in Local Government Units participated in the deliberation of the implementation of the PDAO Law. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the manner in which representative employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities are consulted on the implementation of the policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities.