Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Monday (July 15) renewed the agency’s call for the protection and upholding of the rights of persons with disability at all times during the opening of the Philippine Disability Convention and Expo (ConEx) at the SMX Convention in Pasay City.
“Each of us carries flaws which make us unique from others. These imperfections signify our humanness. Regardless of having cognitive or physical disability, we – as human beings – all have inherent rights and dignity that should be protected and upheld at all times,” Secretary Gatchalian said in a video message.
The DSWD chief also emphasized that barriers which hinder the full participation of persons with disabilities should be dismantled.
“We need to work together through a whole-of-nation approach to create lasting transformative solutions that promote inclusivity,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Pasay City Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano, in her message, commended the conduct of the event and said that it is “a step towards our collective thrust towards inclusivity, opportunity, and equality.”
The DSWD with its attached agency the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), and partner organization, the Project Inclusion Network (PIN), organized the ConEx, which is a 3-day event that feature “one-stop shops” run by and for persons with disabilities to showcase products, services, and enterprises aimed at improving their quality of life.
DSWD Undersecretary for International Affairs and Attached and Supervised Agencies (IAASA) Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said the activity will also provide capacity building and learning sessions for Persons with Disability Affairs Offices (PDAOs) in local government units (LGUs) to enable them to better cater to the needs of persons with disabilities in their respective localities.
Undersecretary Villar said the ConEx will serve as a pre-event to jumpstart the festivities for the “National Disability Rights Week” on July 17 to 23, with the theme, “Promoting Inclusion: Celebrating Abilities and Advocating Access.”
“It is open to the public, with persons with disabilities as priority visitors,” Usec. Villar said.
DSWD executives present in the opening ceremony were Undersecretary Edward Justine Orden; Assistant Secretaries Elaine Fallarcuna, Rodolfo Santos, Gina Wenceslao, and Juan Carlo Marquez; as well as Directors Justin Caesar Anthony Batocabe, Clarissa Lara Duran, and Dianne Joie Ruiz.
Officials of DSWD-attached agencies present in the event were NCDA Executive Director Glenda Relova and Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Executive Director, Undersecretary Angelo Tapales. One of the organizers, PIN Executive Director Grant Javier, was also in attendance.
Other government officials who graced the event were Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Benjo Benavides; Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Almojuela; Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Randolph Pascasio; and Philippine Postal Corporation Chairman, Postmaster General, and CEO Michael Planas. #
