Pwd Infrastructure-friendly Facilities in Sucs Act

Senate Office of the foecretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 25 DEC 17 P6:07 SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1631 S. No. _ Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR AN ACT MANDATING CONSTRUCTION OF PERSON WITH DISABILITIES (PWD) INFRASTRUCTURE-FRIENDLY FACILITIES IN ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCS) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE On April 15, 2008, the Philippines officially ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Article 9 of the said Convention provides that State Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life. They shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas. These measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall apply to buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities, and workplaces. In the same manner, Article XVII of the Philippine's Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities provides that it is the National Government's mandate to provide State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) with necessary special facilities for visually-impaired, hearing-impaired, speech-impaired, and orthopedically-impaired students. It shall likewise allocate the necessary funds in support of the above. With around 1.9 million registered PWDs in the country as of 08 January 2025, the state shall act upon its policy of "enabling the disabled" in its legislation. The PWDs

accounts for 1.6 percent of the population, in which a significant portion of persons with disabilities are in the working group aged 15 years old and above. They usually face barriers which include but are not limited to social, economic, physical, and political conditions, in terms of schooling and employment. These factors hinder the full and equal enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedom. Hence, it is high time to advance efforts that will remove barriers in school infrastructure through mandatory construction and repair of PWD-friendly infrastructure facilities in all SUCs and ensure sufficient budgetary support is given to implement this advocacy. SUCs were chosen as the subject of this law since their tuition fee is either free or is subsidized by the government, therefore giving more chances to less-fortunate PWDs to finish their collegiate education despite financial constraints. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. MARK A. VILLAR KOC

Senate Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session DEC 17 P6:08 SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1631 S. No. _ Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR AN ACT MANDATING CONSTRUCTION OF PERSON WITH DISABILITIES (PWD) INFRASTRUCTURE-FRIENDLY FACILITIES IN ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCS) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title.— This Act shall be known as the "PWD Infrastructure-

2 Friendly Facilities in SUCs Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to give full support

to the improvement of the total well-being of disabled persons and their integration 5 into the mainstream of society. Hence, the State shall adopt policies ensuring the 6 rehabilitation, self-development and self-reliance of disabled persons. It shall develop 7 their skills and potentials to enable them to compete favorably for available 8 opportunities. Meanwhile, Section 29, Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that no money shall be paid by the Treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.

Sec. 3. Scope and Coverage. - This Act shall cover all State Universities and

Colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines defined as a public higher education institution established by the national government and governed by their respective boards of trustees or regents.

Sec. 4. Mandatory Construction of PWD-friendly infrastructure facilities in SUCs

17 - All SUCs in the Philippines shall create infrastructure facilities that are PWD-

friendly. SUCs, through Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shall coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and National Council on 3 Disability Affairs (NCDA) to ensure that facilities that are to be constructed or repaired 4 are in compliance with the infrastructure standard set forth for PWDs. Physical infrastructure includes components within and outside SUCs. This includes but is not limited to signages, accessible entrances, corridors, toilets with 7 grab bars, switches and controls, ramps, elevators, accessible desks, canteens, water 8 taps, and emergency exits as well as outdoor facilities like roads and footpaths necessary to reach the schools. Accessibility of PWDs in Water, Sanitation, and 10 Hygiene (WASH) facilities shall also be considered. The CHED shall give high consideration to other facilities which the DPWH and NCDA may suggest.

Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Commission on Higher

Education, in collaboration with the National Council on Disability Affairs, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 17 Act within a period of ninety (90) days after its approval.

Sec. 6. Appropriations - Beginning the year this Act is enacted:

a. For the next three (3) years, an amount of Ten Billion pesos (Php10,000,000,000.00) shall be added in the existing budget of CHED. Purpose of which is to construct and/or repair school facilities necessary for a comfortable access of students and school faculty with disabilities, which is not only limited to classrooms, comfort rooms, school stage, clinic, canteen, and other school areas which a PWD may need an access to; b. Thereafter, an amount of Five Billion pesos (Php5,000,000,000.00) shall be added in the existing budget of CHED for the same purpose mentioned above; c. Without diminishing their entitlements, all members of Congress shall appropriate ten percent (10%) of their congressional initiatives for PWD infrastructure-friendly facilities in SUCs within their jurisdiction.

The fund needed to implement the provisions of this Act must be sourced primarily from the General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared

4 unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,

presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its

publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved,