An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shared the line-up of activities prepared by the agency and its partners for the first celebration of the National Disability Rights Week on July 17 to 23.

“The reason why we advocated for it to be a National Disability Rights Week is for us to empower our persons with disabilities and maging maging akma sya sa (to be in accordance with the) United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD),”  Asst. Secretary for International Affairs, and Attached and Supervised Agencies (IAASA) Elaine Fallarcuna told members of the press during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on July 4 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.

Through Proclamation No. 597, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared July 17 to 23 of every year as “National Disability Rights Week” to promote a rights-based approach in raising awareness on the plight of persons with disabilities.

The proclamation also tasked the DSWD through the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), an attached agency, to lead, coordinate, and supervise the annual observance.

For this year, the celebration will banner the theme, “Promoting Inclusion: Celebrating Abilities and Advocating Access.”

The DSWD, the NCDA, and its partner non-government organization, the Project Inclusion Network, are set to hold the Philippine Disability Convention and Expo (ConEx) on July 15 to 17 at the SMX Convention in Pasay City as a pre-event to jumpstart the festivities.

“Ito po yung tinatawag nating whole-of-society approach, government and non-government organizations magsama-sama. Because when the government and the private sector collaborates, ito talaga yung nagagawa, talagang maganda at naaangkop sa mga vulnerable sectors,” said Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna.

(This is what we call the whole-of-society approach where government and non-government organizations cone together. Because when the government and the private sector collaborate, this is what is really done, it becomes good and appropriate with the needs of the vulnerable sectors.)

The free event will provide capacity building and learning sessions for Persons with Disability Affairs Offices (PDAOs) in local government units (LGUs).

The activity will also feature a “one-stop shop”, enabling businesses run by and for persons with disabilities to showcase products and services.

The ConEx event will also include exhibitors from government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the private sector, which will provide services and job opportunities for persons with disabilities.#