ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 22 (PIA) -- Improved response and established offices or structures that cater to the needs as well as to identify the concerns of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are believed to be lacking at the local level in Zamboanga Peninsula region.

Thus, Republic Act 10070 directing all provinces, cities, and municipalities to establish an institutional mechanism to ensure implementation of programs and services for persons with disabilities anywhere in the Philippines.

“Napakaraming serbisyo na meron ang gobyerno pero yung gagabay sa mga PWDs para ma-access ang mga programang ito, yun po ang wala,” Zamboanga Peninsula Federation of PWDs President Teddy Kahil affirmed during the Kapihan na Zamboanga held recently.

If these structures were founded in LGUs, the cries, basic essentials, government assistances as well as opportunities to free education, healthcare, employment and livelihood will be made easy for PWDs to access and LGUs to respond.

The PWD chief also lamented that local government units (LGUs) here overlooked the republic act and only recognized the least number of LGUs who are compliant, yet its implementation does not conform with the provisions and policies constituted in the republic act.

“As a member of the sector, it is one of the challenges that we need to address in the community,” Kahil said.

More so, in line with the celebration of the 44th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation week this year, local and national government offices converged to promote their respective programs for disabled individuals in Zamboanga City.

The first PWD Job Fair has taken place, where eight employers offered around 200 job vacancies for the sector.

The NDPR week is also an opportunity for the PWD sector to inform our government officials of the government’s deficiencies that should be provided to them.

“Sa mga kapatid ko sa sector, we just need to be assertive. Kailangan natin itulak ang ating mga karapatan at wag tayong manatili lamang sa isang sulok, isipin natin na tayo ay contributor din sa nation building,” Kahil exclaimed. (RVC/JRA/PIA9-Zamboanga City)