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MANDALUYONG CITY A second home: Mandaluyong City's Persons with

Disabilities Affairs Division PROJECT: Assessment of Local Mechanisms for
Programs and Services for PWDs -Focus on P...
Technical Report · November 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29576.98569
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Elyzabeth F. Cureg Don Jeffery Quebral

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Cureg, E. & Quebral, DJ. (2018). A second home: Mandaluyong City’s Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division. In Enabling the
Disabled: Assessment of local mechanisms for programs and services for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) – Focus on the Persons with
Disabilities Affairs Offices (PDAO). Study prepared for the Coalitions for Change Program, Australian Embassy – The Asia
Foundation, and the U.P. Center for Local and Regional Governance.
Elyzabeth Cureg & Don Jeffery Quebral
A second home: Mandaluyong City’s Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division

PROJECT: Assessment of Local Mechanisms for Programs and Services for PWDs - Focus on Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office
MANDALUYONG CITY
1
“Parang pinasan ko ang mundo,” Jennifer Baron shared her sentiment three years in caring for her
then nine-year-old son who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Meeting with the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division (PDAD) Team, through their visit to the
Special Education class, changed that. She said, “noong nakilala ko ang PDAD nabalewala ‘yon. Na
‘di ka na nag-iisa. Na may solusyon na ang mga bagay.” Maria Teresa Caspe echoed this feeling,
saying “nakakalakas (sila) ng loob”. She described PDAD as an “extended family, a second home to
their kids.” Her 13-year-old son who has multiple disabilities calls the division their “pangalawang
bahay.”
Mandaluyong City was recognized by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the
Disabled, Inc. (PFRD) in the 1998 Apolinario Mabini Award they gave as the first local government to
institutionalize a special office addressing Persons with Disability (PWD) concerns. In 2004, the
office, then named Disabled Persons Affairs Division (DPAD), received the Lingkod Bayan Presidential
Award from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its initiatives for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
i. Mandaluyong City PWDs: Single, Ageing, Unemployed
Mandaluyong City is a first-class city in Metro Manila with a population of about 386,000 (PSA,
2015). There are 5,115 registered PWDs in the city, or 1.3% of its population. PWD registration and
issuance of PWD identification (ID) cards only began in 2009 after the National Council on Disability
Affairs (NCDA) issued guidelines for ID issuance (Admin. Order 001 of 2008). Issuance started slowly,
only gaining speed about five years after (see Figure 1).
Interestingly, only five of Mandaluyong’s 27 Figure 1. Number of Issued PWD IDs, 2009-2017
barangays are home to more than half (52%) of the
1150
registered PWDs. One-fourth (25%) of these PWDs
are from Addition Hills, while between 6-8% each 950
reside in Barangays Hulo, Plainview, Highway Hills, 750
and Mauway.
550
Population distribution by gender is more or less 350

equal (54% male). More than two-thirds (69%) are 150
2016
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2017
single while 28% are married. In terms of age

distribution, the median age is 37 years. School-age
population (K-12 or aged 4-19 and college-aged population) make up 32% of the total PWD
population. Figures 2 and 3 (next page) show the comparative age-population pyramid of the city
(2015 total) versus the PWD population (2018) and PWD population age-sex distribution. The
differences in the age distribution could spell out needed, nuanced differences in the services
offered.
MANDALUYONG CITY
2
Figure 2. Mandaluyong 2015 Total Population vs PWD 2018 Population
Figure 3. Age-Sex Population of PWDs, 2018

80+ years PWD Mandaluyong

70 & above
70-79 years Mandaluyong Total
60-69
60-69 years Male Female
50-59
50-59 years 40-49
40-49 years 30-39
30-39 years 20-29
20-29 years 10-19
10-19 years 1-9
0-9 years -33% -13% 7% 27%
-25% -15% -5% 5% 15% 25%
Using a classification of six disabilities, almost half (46%) of the PWDs have physical or orthopedic
disability. Almost one fourth (23%) involve are afflicted with mental disabilities. PWDs with
psychosocial disability compose 11% while 4% fall under learning or intellectual disabilities but
strikingly, 81% and 75% (respectively) of them are male. The high rates for males may be
attributable to ‘biological vulnerability,’ ‘referral bias’, or challenges in ’testing’ as raised in
Mohamad (2018).
In addition, PWDs with chronic illness-related concerns make up a considerable portion (at least
23%) of the PWD population. According to the PDAD staff in charge of data banking and
identification (ID) card issuance, an increase in PWD ID applications was observed in 2017. Many of
those who applied for PWD ID did so due to chronic illnesses. As the dataset shows, about one in five
IDs issued in 2017 were for individuals with chronic illness. The Department of Health (DOH) was
said to have issued a new list of chronic illnesses that qualify individuals to apply for PWD ID. In
2016, NCDA issued a resolution clarifying this.
A third (35%) of the PWDs have college degrees, plus an additional 1% with postgraduate diplomas.
Four percent finished vocational school. One in every five PWDs from the city finished only high
school. Moreover, 7% of the PWDs have not received any formal education.
Of the 591 PWDs who gave their employment status, only 36% are employed. Two-thirds of these
are PWDs with orthopaedic disabilities. Four-fifths of the employed completed at least college or
vocational education. Additional 13% finished high school. A city government employee talked about
the “bias against” PWDs in the guise of “managerial prerogative” (R.V. Dorio, personal
communication, 13 March 2018) which may have partly contributed to the low employment
participation rates. Likewise, only 40% of the whole PWD population have health insurance
(PhilHealth IDs). Deducting the school-age PWDs who could qualify as Philhealth dependents, that
still leaves 33% without health insurance.
MANDALUYONG CITY
3
Mandaluyong City has a rich PWD database. However, the registry only accounts for 1.3% of the city
population. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2011, the safe estimate for
the proportion of people living with disability is around 10%-15%. Countries reporting this high
prevalence levels have already adopted the 2001 ICF (International Classification of Functioning,
Disability and Health) which married the medical (impairment focus) and the socio-political (activity
and participation limitation) nature of disability. According to WHO (2011), “countries reporting a
low disability prevalence rate – predominantly developing countries – tend to collect disability data
through censuses or use measures focused exclusively on a narrow choice of impairments.
The”measurement” and “approach” to disability recognition may explain the 1.3% prevalence rate in
the the city.
The city government, through the Persons with BOX 1.

DPOs in Mandaluyong City
Disabilities Affairs Division (PDAD) may also need to
work further to have more PWDs registered by  Autism Society Phils (ASP) local chapter
exploring the ICF approach. Registration provides  ADHD Society of the Phils local chapter
valuable information that can be vital in the  Cerebral Palsied Association of the Phils
(CPAP) local chapter
conceptualization and design of programs and
 Down Syndrome Association of the
services for PDAD’s clientele. In the words of a PDAD Philippines, Inc. (DSAPI)
2015 Accomplishment Report, registration “would  Philippine Association of Interpreters For
help make the invisible population visible by Deaf Empowerment (PAIDE)
demonstrating the extent and type of disability.”  Hulo Barangay PWD Association
 Ilaw ng may Kapansanan
 Katipunan ng mga Magulang na may Anak
na May Kapansanan
ii. Multiple, Disconnected Disabled Peoples  Mandaluyong Association of Visually
Impaired Persons
Organizations (DPOs)
 Mauway Barangay PWD Association
Special Child’s Parents Association
The PWD community in Mandaluyong City are small  Samahan ng may Kapansanan sa
compared to the senior citizen population composed Mandaluyong
of about 50,000 individuals. The figures suggest a (W. Marquez, personal comm., 12 March 2018)
ratio of 1 PWD for every 10) senior citizens.PWDs
though have 12 local organizations/ groups
representing them. They have organized themselves along disability ‘lines’. Four groups are local
chapters of nationwide associations (ASP, ADHD, CPAP, DSAPI), one is a national association based in
Mandaluyong (PAIDE) and the remaining seven are locally-initiated (Box 1). The members of these
“disabled peoples organizations (DPOs)” are the ones actively participating in the monthly PWD-
related commemorative activities and PDAD programs.
However, compared to senior citizen associations, DPOs are not organized in an umbrella
organization. “The PWD sector is not solid… they do not have a partylist representative… they do not
have a federation,” an employee from the Senior Citizens Affairs Division (SCAD) said. Unlike the
Mandaluyong City SCAD with a supporting force of 54,000 (2015) and with respective local chapters,
the 5,115 PWD population is not “aggressive.” The employee added that only if PWDs have a
federation, or have a stronger partnership of PDAOs (Persons with Disability Affairs Office) in NCR or
the Philippines, will they be able to successfully lobby for more benefits (Box 2).
MANDALUYONG CITY
4
When asked about the absence of a PWD federation, PDAD Chief Wennah Marquez said that
Mandaluyong City had a Federation in 2014. There was an election of officers of the federation but
did not have any activity or a proposed program of action. They had no post-election meetings as
well (W. Marquez, personal comm., 12 March 2018).
Some of the leaders of the local chapter organizations signified their interest to revive the
federation. Katipunan President Mary Jean motioned that it can start through a meeting of the
leaders of the 12 organizations. Venus of ASP cautioned that they may encounter the same problems
they have in recruiting members. “Tamad pumunta ang mga magulang,” she said. To which Carmel
of ADHD and ASP responded, “Merong mga in denial (pa).”
PDAD Chief Wennah Marquez agreed with the idea of reviving the federation. She however wants to
“infuse” it with young leaders in their 30s to 40s. She believes that younger leaders are more
inclined towards an empowered approach to PWD services than the “welfare” approach of the older
ones.
iii. Mandaluyong’s PDAD: 12 Years in Advance
Republic Act 10070, which required the establishment of PDAOs in every province, city and
municipality, was enacted in 2010. Mandaluyong City established its PDAO (DPAD renamed to PDAD)
in 1998. This pioneering initiative was
recognized by different institutions (PFRD, CSC, BOX 2.
NCDA) in the past. Enjoying SCAD-lobbied Benefits
The SCAD in Mandaluyong was created in

Stories Behind the Creation of an Office. It was 1993, right after the enactment of RA 7432
so long ago that many of those who were (Senior Citizens Act of 1993). SCAD was able
involved and who have been with the city to lobby for the immediate localization of
the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003
government no longer clearly remember the and 2010. The senior citizens enjoy product
event or trigger that led to the creation of the and service discounts, free movie viewing, P
then Disabled Persons Affairs Division (DPAD). 500 social pension (indigents), P 2000
But two stories stand out. mortuary assistance for bereaved families
and even P 4000 monthly allowance for their
association officers.
The first is that in 1997, then Mayor Benjamin
Abalos, Sr. attended a 4:00 pm mass in San (SCAD employee, personal comm., 13 March 2018)
Felipe Neri Parish during which a sign language

interpreter was assisting. It turned out that many Deaf parishioners attended mass in this parish.
This ‘encounter’ made the former mayor wonder whether the city government was doing enough
for PWDs. He decided at that point that he wanted to create a “special project” for the sector. He
already had a person in mind to lead the project-no other than the interpreter in church, Mr.
Bugayong who was the first to manage DPAD for six years. Though the former mayor already wanted
to establish an office for the project in 1998, the idea did not push through. Because of the election
MANDALUYONG CITY
5
ban, it remained as a Special Project for Disabled BOX 3.
Persons under the Mayor’s Office. (W. Marquez,
Project T.E.A.C.H.
personal comm., 12 March 2018)

Since its establishment in 2007, the Therapy

Education and Assimilation of Children with
The second story revolves around the initiatives of Handicap (Project TEACH) has been providing
Former Mayor Abalos Sr.’s son, Former Mayor children with disabilities (CWD) from indigent
Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos, Jr. It was now his turn families with the much-needed access to
appropriate care and therapy. A partnership
to decide whether such an office will be created.
program of the City Government and the
He finished what his father started and created Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Adults
the DPAD in November 1998, after the election ba. and Children with Handicap (REACH)
In 2010, the DPAD was renamed as PDAD. Mayor Foundation, it has reaped many awards for
the City including the coveted Galing Pook
Benhur went beyond office creation and started a
Award in 2012 and the United Nations Public
program dedicated for developmentally- Service Award (2nd place) in 2015.
challenged children Project TEACH (Therapy
Education and Assimilation of Children with Project TEACH’s objectives include organizing
volunteer service providers and offering
Handicap). Chief-of-Staff Jimmy Isidro tells the training on the identification of children’s
story of Mayor Benhur’s commitment to the PWD special needs, specialist’s examination,
cause. therapy and special education services. It has
an annual budget of about P 5 M and
operates on a framework implemented and
While traversing one of the inner city roads, the monitored by an inter-agency committee led
then Mayor Benhur spotted a naked 16-year-old by the Mandaluyong City Mayor’s Office and
boy under a sofa in plain sight of passersby. He the REACH Foundation and composed of key
offices of the City Government including the
soon found out the boy has a ‘special’ condition.
PDAD, and partners from the Department of
He was reminded of this ‘special’ boy when he Education, Mandaluyong City Medical Center
attended the graduation rites of a Benedictine (MCMC), barangay leagues and CSOs.
Abbey School in Alabang where one of the
For the last three years, it benefited, on the
distinguished graduates was a ‘special’ child. He
average, 100 children annually. Three
opined, ‘what spelled the difference?’ This is how quarters of the beneficiaries were male. The
Project TEACH was born. (Box 3) top four special conditions were ADHD,
speech delay, autism, and global
development delay.
Supportive Legislative Council. The PWD sector
has support from the members of the Sangguniang Prior to the establishment of Project TEACH,
Panlungsod of Mandaluyong. Early in 1998 when parents had to bring their children to the
the proposal to establish an office was halted due Philippine General Hospital in Manila. With
Project TEACH located in their own city,
to the elections, Councilor Servillon brought the parents can now access free and expert
agenda back to the Council sessions through a services for their children. In the words of
Resolution (590) recognizing the contributions of Susan Gasilao, herself a PWD, “Napakamahal
the Special Projects for the Disabled. In the same ang check-up sa labas. Sa Project TEACH, libre
na, galing pa sa eksperto.”
year, City Ordinance (193) officially created the
Disabled Persons Affairs Division (DPAD) under the
Office of the Administrator, where it is still lodged. Nevertheless, DPAD directly reports to the Office
of the Mayor (consistent with the principles of the IRR of RA 10070). DPAD’s mission is to “fight for
the rights of PWDs - rights to education, habilitation and rehabilitation, play and leisure, family
support, health, equal opportunity, and accessibility” (PDAD, 2015a).
MANDALUYONG CITY
6
Succeeding resolutions and ordinances reflect the Council’s stand on PWD concerns. These include
the Lingap Paningin partnership program (1999), 5% PWD HR complement (2004), Project TEACH
(2008), restructuring as part of LGU-wide re-organization (2010), anti-Hepa discrimination (2014),

partnership with DSWD for the Social Protection Program (2015) (Figure 4).
There are some concerns though on the recall of a 2008 Ordinance (423) localizing RA 9442, which
grants special privileges and incentives to PWDs, such as
Figure 4. PWD-relevant Ordinances the 20% service and product discounts, express lanes,
and Resolutions, 1998-2018 and benefits for retirees. This Ordinance was recalled
and as a replacement, Resolution 1459 “supporting the

Reso. recognizing Special unequivocal and full implementation of RA 9442” was
1998 Projects for Disabled
Persons signed in 2009. According to the Resolution, “there was
an attempt…to enact an ordinance granting privileges to
Ord. creating DPAD
PWDs…but somehow after its adoption, the Council has
Reso. for MOA
for Lingap Paningin Project discovered some inadvertence or excusable mistake in
1999
(Resources for the Blind, Inc.) its approval…tantamount to a repeal of the national
statute.” There were no details though as to what
Reso. requesting Office of
2000 President for land donation specifically were the excusable mistakes made. Another
for Bahay Kalinga legislation that has a possible implication on the quality
Inc.
Reso. requesting of lives of PWDs, particularly those experiencing
companies in City to mobility problems, is the Anti-riding in Tandem (2014)
2004 employ PWDs in the level
of 5% of HR complement policy which bans two or more people from riding a
Inc.
Ord. tricycle fare discount motorcycle unless they are related as spouse, parents,
2005
Reso. for Project TEACH
siblings or unless the rider/passenger is a child (7-10
2008 MOA years old) or a woman. ‘Unrelated’ men cannot ride
Ord. Children’s Code together. This ordinance is due for review this 2018 with
the LGU Legal Department proposing an exemption for
Ord. RA 9442 localized
PWDs.
(recalled)
2009 Reso. supporting RA 9442

PDAD Structure on paper. Ordinance 429 of 2009
Ord. Re-organization outlined the organizational structure of PDAD for 2014
2010 DPAD to PDAD
to 2018. The division has 19 plantilla positions, 25
2011
Reso. Express & Courtesy including the six proposed additional positions. The
lanes in private businesses
Division is planned to have four sections but only six of
Reso. Anti-discrimination the plantilla posts are occupied, with five of these
2014 of Hepatitis B infected
belonging to the lower-rung positions (Salary Grade 1 to
workers (B Positive City)
3). Only two of the unoccupied posts are vacant but all
Ord. Anti-riding in Tandem
13 have not secured funding. Only the Division Chief’s
Reso. MOA with DSWD
2015 post (SG 22) is ‘technical’ in nature, leaving Chief
Social Protection Program
Marquez the sole employee responsible for writing all
Review:
2018 Riding in Tandem Ord the reports and plans
The six permanent staff are joined by four non-tenured

personnel (two Job Order/JO, two Service Contractuals). The JO employees follow the no-work-no-
MANDALUYONG CITY
7
pay policy and are paid around P6,000/month. The Service Contractuals (SC) whose attendance is
not monitored earn P15,000/month, higher than the take home pay of the five tenured staff. Both
JOs and SCs however do not enjoy the mandatory benefits enjoyed by tenured staff.
There is a scheduled review of all Mandaluyong City Local Government offices in in 2019, in keeping
with their five-year reorganization policy. This is an opportune time for the PDAD to push for the
official inclusion of the six additional posts or the introduction of new ones, like a plantilla item for a
therapist (M. Orayan, personal communication, 12 March 2018). However, this does not guarantee
that plantilla positions are made vacant and funded. Converting the division into a department is
likewise not a priority of the unit (W. Marquez, personal communication, 12 March 2018) or of the
administration (J. Isidro, personal communication, 13 March 2018).
Another cause for concern is the absence of the needed civil service eligibility of the tenured staff so
they could qualify for the next higher posts (SG 4-8) if they will be opened and funded through the
2019 reorganization. Essentially, the policy of PDAD is internal recruitment either within the division
itself or among the city hall employees. External recruitment for the higher posts may cause
demoralization among the present staff given they have worked for an average of 12 years in the
division. Their salaries may not reflect it but they already perform the functions of the higher-level
posts. For instance, the driver and another staff serve as wheelchair technicians after undergoing a
course with the Humanitarian Service of the Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS Charities), one
utility worker doubles as the labor and employment coordinator, another utility worker serves as the
database manager, studying MS Access on his own, and the other two utility workers are in charge
of the ID issuance and health service referrals.
Figure 5 presents the PDAD structure with notations on occupied positions (in bold text).
Figure 5. PDAD Organizational Structure, 2014-2018
Public Services Officer IV (SG22)
Public Services Officer II (SG15)
Administrative Community Affairs & Accessibility & Sports and Socio

Section Social Services Section Employment Section Cultural Section
 Public Services Asst  Commu. Affairs Asst II  Labor & Employment Asst  Sports Development
(SG8) (SG8) (SG8) Officer II (SG14)
 Storekeeper I (SG4)  Bookbinder II (SG4)  Community Affairs Asst (SG8)  Sports and Games
 Clerk II (SG4) Inspector (SG8)
 Driver I (SG3)  Messenger (SG2)  Utility Worker I (SG 1)
 Utility Worker II (SG3)  Utility Worker I (SG 1)  Utility Worker I (SG 1)
+ 3 proposed positions + 2 proposed positions + 1 proposed position
 Computer Operator  Reproduction Machine  Computer Operator II (SG9)

(SG9) Operator III (SG7)
 Bookbinder III (SG7)  Public Services Foreman
 Driver II (SG4) (SG6)
iv. What general assembly?
MANDALUYONG CITY
8
PDAD has been managed by three division chiefs: Mr Bogayong (consultant, 1998-2004), Mr. Arceo
(2004-2012), and Ms. Marquez (2012-present). Their appointments came ahead of RA 10070. It
would be moot to impose the act’s general assembly selection requirement for the PDAO head since
the latest appointment of the chief was made four years prior. The recruitment and selection
procedure for the division chief basically followed the regular government recruitment and
appointment process (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Recruitment & Selection Procedure, Mandaluyong City
open vacancy Promotions Posting of

publication acceptance recommend
officially for Board announcement of CSC
of of selected
filling-up review selection decision validation
vacancy applications applicant
(9 months (qualifications (wait for negative
validity) check) feedback or protest)
In the 2016 implementing rules and regulations of RA 10070 (PDAO creation), the Local Government
Operations Officer (DILG), Social Welfare Officer and the President of the PWD Federation are
mandated to call for a general assembly of PWDs. The Assembly is tasked to submit the list of
nominees for the head of PDAO. Interestingly, both the DILG LGOO (A.R. Quines) and a high-level HR
personnel in the city government, are not familiar with this requirement. Similarly, they have
admitted that this was their first time to hear of the provision for a PWD employee representative in
the Personnel Selection Board for this post.
v. The PDAD Family
The office that serves as second home to families with PWD members is composed of individuals
who are “walang pagod” because of their “sobrang pagmamahal sa aming mga anak”. (V. Pedro,
personal comm., 14 March 2018). The office is led by Division Chief Wennah Marquez (Public Service
Officer IV), “ang babaeng walang pahinga.” Teaming up with her are nine colleagues who are
“always on the go.”
Wennah’s Homecoming. Wennah has spent all of her 16 years career life in the city government, 11
of which is in PDAD. Naïve and fresh from graduate school (MA in Special Education), she was
recruited in 2002 by DPAD Chief Bugayong to serve as an “itinerant teacher” but assumed a Utility
Worker I, casual position. She agreed so long as the city government would sponsor her attendance
to a Braille program since she was originally set out to teach blind students. But, later on, her
students turned out to be children with ASD and intellectual disabilities.
She then joined Mandaluyong Manpower Technical Vocational Center (MMTVC) in 2004 as a
Manpower Development Officer. MMTVC is a TESDA-accredited center that offers courses like
carpentry, massage, and auto-mechanic services. Her main role was to guide and counsel the
trainees in selecting the course/s and employment most appropriate for them. In 2007, she was
detailed as a SpEd teacher for Project TEACH and was responsible for monitoring inclusivity in school
MANDALUYONG CITY
9
enrolment and placement. In 2010, she was recruited back to PDAD by then Chief Arceo. She was
tasked to prepare plans and reports, and represent the division in meetings. Two years after, she
was designated as PDAD Officer-in-charge when Chief Arceo retired. She has led PDAD as division
chief since 2013.

Wennah, 40 years old, is a not a PWD nor does she have a PWD family member. Yet, she has always
been inclined to engage in the disability sector, “for no reason at all,” according to her. Aside from
her Special Education graduate degree, she is also a Nutrition Dietician. Certified by the International
Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP) she has been serving as assessor and trainer on
wheelchair customization for the LDS Charities since 2010, spending her weekends teaching others
how to do wheelchair assessments and modifications. She learned sign language in high school, just
because she was “curious”.
Wennah has been a source of strength to parents of CWD. They believe and follow her “self-help
empowering model” because she articulates a clear vision for their children. She envisions school-
age PWDs to be in school to learn about independence and to receive therapy, if needed. The
curriculum should be geared towards self-help or for future employment. Those who cannot be
accommodated for employment should be taught business and livelihood opportunities. In
Wennah’s leadership, the parents see that their dreams for their children can be realized. “Nakikita
ng PDAD ang worth ng anak ko. Binibuild nila ang self-esteem niya. May plano si Wennah para sa
kanila (CWD) kaya susunod kami sa vision niya. Siya ay nanay sa aming mga anak, at kaibigan sa
amin na mga magulang nila.” (M.T. Caspe, personal communication, 13 March 2018)
The Division Chief dreams that one day, Mandaluyong City will have a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) for
PWDs. This OSS would have a ‘Sheltered Workshop and Livelihood Center’ where PWDs get to be
trained on critical skills that would make them either employable or able to provide for themselves
through sustainable livelihood. Among the livelihood options conceptualized so far are food
processing, canteen service, handicrafts, and housekeeping. She also envisions a Wheelchair Repair
Center and hopes that the city would soon have a PhilHealth-accredited PWD health service care
institution. She wants “PWDs to be treated like people without disability, to make every office
inclusive for PWDs. Na ‘di kailangang mamalimos sa mga kumpanya para i-employ sila. Ipapakita ng
LGU na pwede nang i-empower at i-employ ang PWDs.”
Feedback on Wennah as a superior, colleague, program partner and service provider are consistent.
One gets the impression that the individual being described has found her profession and vocation.
She “knows her craft” (P. Camarines), “is very competent and efficient” (M. Sumaylo), “is committed”
(R.V. Dorio) and is one of CPDD (planning) officer’s “preferred work partners.” “Dumami na ang
services for PWDs, napakabusy ng division” (M. Sumaylo) at “Magugulat (ka) kung paano nila
nagagawa lahat ng ‘yon kasi ang (ka)unti nila” (CPDD officer). This is because she is
“napakamatulungin…wala siyang hinihindian,” said one PDAD staff. This leaves her and her team
“bugbog sa trabaho” and “gagawa at gagawa siya ng paraan, kahit sya pa mismo ang gumastos,”
making us believe it is possible “kasi di lang laway.” (mothers of CWD children)
Power of Ten. PDAD Team has ten tenured and non-tenured employees combined – with four
women and six men. There four PWD members - two orthopedic, one Deaf, one visually-impaired.
MANDALUYONG CITY
10
Almost all the staff joined the city government through the division. Their ages range from 38 to 72
years and the median age is 51 years. In terms of experience, the members worked for the LGU for
an average of 12 years, ranging from five years to 19 years individually. They come from varied
education backgrounds: four college graduates (criminology, commerce, education, hotel and
resorts management), three college undergraduates (commerce, computer-related, accounting), and

two high school graduates.
The team recognizes the importance of promoting the preference for PWD staff in the division:
“How would they (PWD clients) feel ‘pag ang lahat ng nagseserve sa kanila ay non-PWD? We should
be a model for other people to strive hard… Ideally, represented lahat (ng disabilities) para wala ring
turfing - kung saan kung sinong represented, sila ang lalabas sa plano” (W. Marquez) “Paano
maiintindihan ang needs ng may kapansanan?” (M. Orayan) “Kami na hindi PWD, hindi namin alam
lahat ng pangangailangan ng mga may kapansanan, kung tama ang idea namin, kung swak sa
pangangailangan nila. Kaya kinokonsulta namin lagi ang mga kasamahan namin sa PDAD na PWD”
(PDAD staff1) “Ang PWD ay lalapit sa kapwa PWD. (pag walang PWD sa PDAD) Parang second
priority ang feeling.” (PDAD staff2) However, some of the staff opined that there should be a balance
between PWD and non-PWD staff “if all are PWDs, it will be difficult. There should also be non-
PWDs.There should be a balance of PWD and non-PWDs. There are tasks that are performed more
efficiently by non-PWDs.” (PDAD staff3)
The division manage its deliverables through clear work assignments. The Chief represents the unit
in meetings and networking events, prepares the plans, documents and reports, introduces new
programs, brings in new partnerships, and engages in wheelchair modification and customization.
The most experienced staff takes care of PWD ID issuance and is assisted by one contractual
employee. The next most senior-in-rank staff is assigned in database encoding and management.
Another is focused on accessing company partners and employment matching. Two staff, one of
whom is the driver, serves as wheelchair technician. Another one serves as the overall
administrative staff and runner-messenger. Meanwhile, one is responsible for the CWD Angels
(dance group) and the Drum and Lyre Band. All of them, the Division Chief included, help in the ID
issuance if the focal persons are out.
vi. The Leadership Message: Investing on PWDs
Mayors Benjamin and Benhur Abalos saw beyond the numbers and paved the way for initiating and
maintaining good services and programs for PWDs in Mandaluyong. In the words of their Chief of
Staff, “it is not a matter of size but of concern.” This was seconded by Division Chief Marquez who
explained that the city would not invest in Project TEACH nor establish and fund an office (PDAD)
prior to the enactment of the national law if PWDs were not a priority. Project TEACH and PDAD
each receive P 5 million funding from the LGU (Budget Office 2018), 0.3% (combined) of the city’s
total expense for 2017 at P3.06 billion.
MANDALUYONG CITY
11
The city government has a Local Council for the
BOX 4.
Protection of Children Technical Working Group. Lingap Kabataan
With the gains from both PDAD and Project TEACH
programs, the city received a Seal of Communities On the last quarter of 2017, the city
government through the CSWDD decided to

of Practice on child-friendly local governance
create a separate shelter unit for PWDs
(COP-CFLG) in 2016 from the Council for the above six years old. Formerly, abandoned or
Welfare of Children. The city also established the abused PWDs are housed together with the
Lingap Kabataan shelter. This shelter is an vulnerable youth in Bahay Pag-asa. The
social workers later learned that the PWD
extension of the Bahay Tuluyan which houses kids were being ‘abused’ by the other kids
women and children victims of violence. When the there.
child reaches seven years old, he/she is moved to

Bahay Pag-asa (see Box 4). Lingap Kabataan was thus born. Lingap
Kabataan is a simple two-room unit which
can accommodate up to eight kids of the
In terms of legislation, the Sanggunian has not same sex per room. The ‘manageable’ total
been remiss in its duties. PWD concerns are capacity though is ten, not 16, according to
CSWDD. The kids are engaged in daily
presently dealt with by the Committee on Human
routine play by the assigned social worker.
Rights and Marginalized Sector. Although a They are also given therapy sessions by the
Sanggunian Secretary staff who has been with the Project TEACH team.
city for the last 19 years does not remember having
Currently, this shelter is home to five
an elected PWD councilor yet, the Sanggunian has
“hyperactive” PWD boys, aged 9-19yrs.
enacted a number of PWD-relevant legislations in These boys are there for different reasons –
the past, including that of PDAD creation, more abandoned, neglected, lost, abused by
than a decade before the enactment of the law family.
requiring its establishment. (M. Sumaylo, personal communication, 12 March 2018)
In 2004, the Sanggunian issued a resolution (1054)

requesting companies engaged in manufacturing industries, marketing and manpower services
based or doing business in the city to employ qualified PWDs for up to 5% of their staff complement.
This was higher than the 1% provision of RA 10524 enacted eight years after (2012). In the
Mandaluyong City Government, there are 65 PWD employees, equivalent to 1.3 % of the 4,941 total
number of personnel in 2018. The city observed the national law requirement but did not meet the
same expectations it set for private companies based on its 2004 resolution. Of the 65 PWD
employees, 25 hold permanent positions, with five managing posts requiring professional
eligibilities. Most of the PWD employees have orthopedic disabilities (38), followed by visual
disability (12).
vii. Fixtures: PDAD Budget and Programs
Priority Concerns and the Budget. PDAD’s two decades of existence has given it and its partners a
clear grasp of the needs of the PWDs in the city. The PDAD team, Office of the Mayor, CSWDD and
the mother-officers of select DPOs spoke a single voice in identifying education and employment as
the major areas that they need to work on. One mother remarked that securing their education is as
important as answering the question “what comes after school?” She finds support in the opinion of
one PDAD staff who said that many of their training graduates and scholars stay home to look after
MANDALUYONG CITY
12
children of their relatives since they cannot find jobs. This is where Chief Marquez’s OSS and
proposal for a Sheltered Workshop and Livelihood Center comes in.
PDAD’s P3.1 million expenditure for 2016, 70% of which is for personal services, would not be able
to cover these plans yet. This amount is merely 0.1% of the total annual city government expense of
P 3.062 billion (2016). As a share of the 2016 Development Fund, the percentage rises a bit to 2.4%,
but, limiting the formula to PDAD MOOE / 20% DF, the share falls back to less than 1% (0.7%). The
city therefore does not observe the 0.5% share (1% together with budget for senior citizens)
endorsed by a 2003 Joint Memorandum Circular of DBM and DSWD (GAA). The budget of the elderly
(SCAD) fared better at P 13 million (2016), taking up 0.46% of the total LGU expense. The city
government is compliant with the privileges and incentives granted in the Expanded Senior Citizen
Act (e.g. P2,000 mortuary assistance) and allots around P 3 million for the honoraria/allowance of
the 323 Senior citizens associations chapter officers ( see Table 1).
Table 1. Total City Government, SCAD and PDAD Expenditures, 2013-2016
City Government of Mandaluyong 2013 2014 2015 2016

Total Expenses
2,705,111,584.74 2,557,753,957.02 2,970,671,245.80 3,062,031,043.42
(PS + MOOE + Financial Expenses + CO)
20% Development Fund 94,871,814.00 104,680,940.00 117,825,214.00 128,962,364.00

Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division
2,175,831.05 1,599,853.96 3,041,167.12 3,105,760.24
(PDAD Total)
Personal Services 1,510,652.75 934,176.71 1,963,131.13 2,192,170.24
MOOE 665,178.3 665,677.25 1,078,035.99 913,590.00
Senior Citizens Affairs Division
11,025,907.43 8,026,425.82 11,935,137 13,979,003.53
(SCAD Total)
Personal Services 2,118,157.43 1,851,901.82 2,087,469.57 2,067,019.29
MOOE 8,907,750.00 6,174,524.00 9,847,667.11 11,911,984.24
Source: Budget Office
Direct Hand or through Referrals? The limits of the budget required PDAD to recognize its bigger role
as a coordinator or facilitator of services than a direct implementer. As a coordinator, PDAD works
with various units and organizations – other city government offices, national government agencies,
private companies, schools, foundations, and hospitals, to source out scholarship opportunities, job
vacancies, livelihood training and other capacity building activities, seed capital, assessment and
therapy and other medical services, and assistive devices for their PWD clients.
As an implementer, it issues PWD IDs, maintains and updates the LGU PWD databank, directly
communicates and follows-up with private sector partners for possible job vacancies, adjusts,
customizes and monitors usage of solicited wheelchairs, and organizes and participates in
advocacy/commemorative events.
MANDALUYONG CITY
13
Every month, PDAD joins in the scheduled PWD-related
celebrations either by participating in events organized BOX 5.
by partners or organizing activities on its own. For Monthly Awareness Events
example, for the January 2015 National Autism

Each month, PDAD takes part in scheduled

Consciousness Week, PDAD and representatives from PWD-related ‘celebrations.’ A PDAD staff
parent-support groups and their PWD children joined chimed that the preparations eat much of
the Angels Walk for Autism at the SM Mall of Asia. In the division’s time but, as Wennah said,
July, it organized the Adapted Zumba for PWDs (PWDe “kulang pa rin ang pagkakasensitize ng mga
magZUMBA) in the city hall grounds and the disaster tao sa PWDs. ‘Di pa rin mataas ang
risk reduction(DRR) and first aid seminar for PWD awareness.”
audience. It also managed to offer a fun day of games,

The monthly celebrations are for:
magic show and other activities for 600 CWD. In
JAN: National Autism Consciousness Week
September 2015, Mandaluyong City hosted the first
FEB: Down Syndrome Consciousness Week;
Boccia Tournament (Paralympic sports for solo or Lupus Advocacy Week; Retarded
three-member group athletes on wheelchair) and the Children’s Week; National Rare Disease
Trade Fair for PWD-made products and services. (Box Week; Leprosy Control Week
5) MAR: Women’s month; WWD Day
APR: World Autism Awareness Day
In both direct or facilitating roles, PDAD finds avenues MAY: Head & Neck Consciousness Week;
to promote its advocacy (PWD empowerment), raise Hypertension Awareness Month
JUN: Independence Day
awareness, and offer non-material support to DPOs
JUL: National Allergy Day; National Disability
especially, the parent groups. PDAD offers the office as
Prevention and Rehabilitation Week
a venue for meetings and sharing-sessions of parents AUG: White Cane Safety Day
even on weekends. It also looks for resource persons SEPT: National Epilepsy Awareness Week;
willing to share their knowledge on dealing with PWD Cerebral Palsy Awareness & Protection
challenges and schedules sharing sessions with them Week
OCT: National Mental Health Week; National
and the parents. The relationship of PDAD with the
ADHD Awareness Week
support groups led to the establishment of
NOV: Deaf Awareness Week; National Skin
sociocultural units “managed” by the division. These Disease Detection & Prevention
are the dancers and drum and lyre band. DEC: International Day for Persons with
Disabilities of the Philippines
Initiatives worth emulating. PDAD has seven main (List supplied by PDAD)
programs: education, employment and livelihood,
research, advocacy, accessibility, sports and
BOX 6.
sociocultural, and community-based engagements. The Facility Visits for PWD ID Issuance
division uses half of its Annual Investment Plan-funding
(2016-2017) for the first two programs. The succeeding Every three years, DSWD’s Fabella Center
and Sanctuary Center request PDAD for IDs
sections outline these initiatives, details of which are for their PWD clients. PDAD schedules a visit
taken from interviews and AIP (2015-2018). to accommodate the request. These centers
are the agency’s developmental programs
ID/booklet Issuance and Data banking. Mandaluyong for rehabilitated patients (former mental
City’s baseline data for PWDs was collected as part of patients) before they are reintegrated into
the society. Fabella caters to female clients,
the ID issuance for the transport discount in 2003.
while Sanctuary is for male clients, all 18 to
Barangay health workers were tapped for the survey of 59 years old.
the PWD population. The dataset though contained (E.F. Esmas, personal communication, 22 March 2018)
numerous invalid responses. It was only in 2009 with

MANDALUYONG CITY
14
PDAD’s PWD ID issuance that a databank was created.
Based on the 2003 baseline data, “akala namin BOX 7.
madaming bulag.”
Look at Employability, not Disability

To verify information and ensure that PDAD would “Dapat mapakita na ‘di liability ang
reach the population in need of a PWD ID, the division disability.” For every ten referrals, four
usually get rejected. “’Di nakakalusot sa
goes down to the barangay, schedules ID issuance
screening ng companies.” Companies
events in SpEd schools, and coordinates with likewise have an age preference. They don’t
institutions offering services to PWDs, such as the prefer those past 35, unless the person has
DSWD’s Fabella Center and Santuary Center. These experience.
coordinated visits provide free ID picture, lamination
Among PWDs, “ortho are the most

and bloodtyping (courtesy of City Health Laboratory) employable, Deaf and visually impaired are
services. In select cases where the individual cannot more problematic.”
make a personal appearance, PDAD undertakes house
(PDAD employee, personal comm., 12 March 2018)
visits to validate the application (W. Marquez,
personal communication, 12 March 2018). (Box 6)
Based on the reports to DILG, about 200 to 250 IDs get issued every quarter. This began on the third
quarter of 2016. Prior to that, only about 150-190 IDs got issued. The increase in number may be
partly attributed to the coordinated visits and the increasing number of chronic diseases being
tagged under PWD classification (M. Orayan, personal communication, 12 March 2012).
Education and awareness raising. PDAD has two categories of clients for this service – PWD
population and the service providers (city government employees, volunteers, organization
partners). Many of the activities are supported or sponsored by other units in the LGU. For 2018,
many activities under PDAD’s education program were financed through Gender and Development
(GAD) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Funds.
Examples of activities for PWDs per se include school-based nutrition counselling for CWD and
parents; leadership and personality development training for women with disability (WWD); and
enrolment in Mandaluyong Manpower Technical Vocational Center (MMTVC) for livelihood and skills
training. The city government has a scholarship program managed by the City Educational Services
Office (CESO) that covers tuition and a small weekly allowance (P150-300) but the LGU does not
have a preferential treatment for PWDs. The CESO officer can remember only two referrals by PDAD
so far. These students became LGU scholars because they met the grade requirement (83), passed
the entrance exam in Rizal Technological University, and maintained their grades. The non-
preferential treatment stems from CESO’s principle that PWDs should be treated like everybody else.
For service providers, PDAD works with other institutions to offer DRR and First Aid training for
PWDs and caregivers; sensitivity training for DRR rescuers and planners; Basic Filipino Sign Language
and Visual Gestural Communication training for barangay coordinators and volunteers, police
officers, health workers; and the child sexual abuse prevention program for barangays and SpEd
school managers.
MANDALUYONG CITY
15
Employment and Livelihood. PDAD conceptually dichotomized the PWD population into
“employable” and “non-employable” groups. There is no formal policy or definition as to who
belongs to what group. The categories simplify their efforts. Per PDAD’s practice, those who finished
at least high school and can meet the screening criteria in PDAD’s direct job matching with
companies (mobility, literacy, able to follow simple instructions), are considered employable. Those
whose education is lower or whose disabilities hinder them from passing the screening criteria fall
under the non-employable group.
For the employable group, the division has a directory of companies that need PWDs. These are the
companies implementing RA 10524, which “encourages private corporations with more than 100
employees to reserve at least 1% of all positions for PWDs.” These agencies contact PDAD whenever
there is an opening for PWDs. PDAD refers qualified PWDs for interview in companies. It also follows
up the job application status of PWDs with these companies. PDAD has a target of ten PWD
successful referrals each year. There has been between 11 to 26 successful referrals per year from
2012-15 and 70 successful PDAD referrals for the last nine years. (Box 7)
Among its partners are McDonalds/Golden Arches Development Corporation branches in the city,
Bench, All Around Services and Merchandising Corporation (subcontractor for SM’s manpower
needs) and, previously, Happee Toothpaste. Bench hires staff for its mall shops and its warehouse in
Taguig. Five branches of McDonalds hire service crews for night shifts.
PDAD works with the City’s Public Employment Service Division (PESD) on Department of Labor and
Employment’s (DOLE) Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) and accommodates
PWD walk-ins for CESD’s thrice a week job interview program. SPES is a 20-day work program for
high school students aged 15-30 years old, undertaken during the summer or Christmas break.
Students are given around P 9,000-10,000 as allowance.
Since 2012, PDAD has secured PESD’s commitment of reserving 10% slots for PWDs. The division
writes PESD annually to reiterate the quota request. Upon learning the number of slots, PDAD calls
the SpEd teachers in the five schools for possible PWD referrals. Preference is given to those already
into their prevocational classes. PDAD then contacts the parents of the PWD being referred, informs
them of the opportunity and the documents required. PDAD compiles these documents for
submission to PESD. Eligible PWDs are assigned in different offices of the city government to do
clerical work (encode, file, record). Repeat SPES grantees are allowed up to three years if the PWD is
indigent. Of the 25 slots reserved for PWDs in 2017, less than 10 slots were taken. In 2018, the
number of reserved slots would double to 50. The question is whether there would be PWD takers
for these slots (R.V. Dorio, personal communication, 13 March 2018).
As for the walk-in applications, PESD does not have a concrete program for PWDs. Anybody can visit
PESD from Monday to Wednesday to get interviewed by three to five company representatives
scheduled for those days. Companies come from manufacturing, sales, clerical, and BPO industries,
the last providing the highest number of vacancies per month (3,000).
PWDs who are not qualified for employment in the companies, particularly those who were unable
to finish secondary education, are given training and livelihood by the city government. The
MANDALUYONG CITY
16
livelihood training activities are conceptualized by PDAD.
BOX. 8
The PWD organizations do not hesitate to suggest and
What happens after graduation?
request for training based on their needs. PDAD looks
for companies that provide training for PWDs and

Meet Christian delos Santos, a mobility-

chooses from their database qualified PWDs who will impaired staff of Mandaluyong City’s IT
Department under a job-order contract and
attend the activities. The livelihood programs are both
a recipient of an LGU scholarship (BA ICT in
for the PWDs and their parents/guardians. Rizal Technological University). This is
actually his second scholarship. The first
These programs train PWDs on food/meat processing, funded his two-year computer course in St.
John Bosco Institute of Arts and Science,
biscuits repacking, e-load, bigasan, corporate giveaways, facilitated by PDAD.
welding, carpentry, bead accessories, and rug sewing.

For example, the parents of select ASD and ADHD He was not able to land a job two years after
children are given a space in PDAD office to work on graduation. Unemployed, he sought the help
of PDAD as a livelihood recipient. He was
their bead accessories. Other parents make use of the granted an e-load retail business but it failed
three sewing machines donated by Leonard Cheshire as he used the small earning for his daily
Disability Foundation and Accenture in 2015. The sewing needs. Another opportunity came along. The
Department of Information and
machines are housed in the provisional workshop of the
Communication Technology (DICT) holds an
PDAD office where a select group of mothers of CWD annual national IT competition for PWDs. He
use the machines to make rugs and eco bags. bagged first place and represented the
country in the international competition in
Jakarta. Upon returning, he was invited by
At present, four to five sewers use the machine earning
the LGU in its regular Monday flag-raising
P80-100 daily from the sale of rugs at P1.50 per piece. ceremony where he was introduced and
City hall employees help by buying the rugs distributed publicly offered a job.
by PDAD. In 2016, PDAD proposed a budget for the
(C. Delos Santos, personal comm., 13 March 2018)
creation of a PWD/WWD cooperative but this has not yet
received budgetary support. Nevertheless, the 2016
proposal to construct a sheltered workshop and livelihood center finally received preliminary
support in 2018 from the GAD Office Fund through an initial P1 million allocation. GAD Office
likewise allotted funds for the livelihood training and capital assistance of WWD in 2018.
As with SPES, PDAD works with PESD in securing funding for the livelihood programs. With the
funding from DOLE’s BUB Livelihood Assistance Program, PESD identifies the livelihood recipients.
PESD has observed the preference for PWDs, with 20 of the 100 slots allotted for them in 2017. Each
of the recipient receives a P5,000 grant. However, the grant usually comes in the form of goods (in-
kind) like frozen food or rice or mobile phone unit and load. It is also possible for the grantee to shell
out the money in advance to secure the materials and have the amount reimbursed by PESD.
Support for livelihood grantees include trainings on social preparation, bookkeeping, and PhilHealth
and SSS subscriptions. PWDs can avail of this support as long as they submit a proposal detailing
their proposed business, materials needed, cost requirements. PDAD’s role is to contact the
potential PWD recipients to solicit their proposals, submit to PESD, and get PESD’s feedback. (Story
of a livelihood recipient in Box 8)
Accessing health services and assistive devices. Through networking, PDAD is able to provide basic
medical operations and quality assistive devices to PWDs. From 1999 to present, PDAD has
partnered with the Resources for the Blind, Inc., Mandaluyong City Medical Center (MCMC) and the
MANDALUYONG CITY
17
Kababaihang Kakaiba ng Mandaluyong (KKM) for the
Lingap Paningin program, which helped in the cataract BOX 9.
Wheelchairs: Customization Matters
surgery of 3,851 individuals for the last 16 years (1999- BOX 10.
2015). PDAD’s continuing partnership with the Philippine Memories of are

thegiven…(often)
Adventure forwithout
Thailand
“Wheelchairs
Band of Mercy, volunteer surgeons from Philippine proper fitting and…because of lack of
Josephine on
knowledge Limbo has twouse
the proper children,
and one with
Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic ASD. With her is Jennifer Baron,
maintenance…(recipients) developwhoskinhas a
Surgery (PAPRAS), and MCMC has given 365 smiles ulcers. They’ll
child with haveand
ADHD, higher chances
Maria TeresaofCaspe,
(2002-2015) for their Oplan Balik Ngiti (for persons with developing
whose childaltered growth disabilities.
has multiple patterns and They
cleft palate). acquire additional deficits because
are mothers to three indigent PWD ofsons,
the ill
fitted wheelchairs. (Wheelchairs that should
who performed as part of the Mandaluyong
be provided are the ones which are)
For assistive devices, PDAD allocates a certain amount, City CWD Drum
appropriate, well and Lyre inand
designed thefitted.”
May 2017
sources from other LGU funds and seeks donations from Drum Festival in Bangkok.
(W. Marquez, personal comm., 12 March 2018)
partners for walkers and crutches (P1,000 each), hearing
They shared that the Asian Pacific
aid (P25,000) and prosthesis for P40,000. A bigger portion PDAD subscribes to the WHO Wheelchair
Development Center (APDC) watched the
of the financial requirement goes to wheelchair requests, service delivery framework. The whole
childreninplay
process PDAD during
fromarequest
visit arranged
to by ASP
where costs could range from P7,000 to P24,000 each in February 2017. Theeight
bandsteps:
was praised for
maintenance requires
(standard for P7,000, rough rider P16,000, and (1)its performance and was invited
Referral and appointment to play in
by health
intermediate P24,000 for those with altered growth and centers, brgy workers, rehabilitation
Thailand, albeit on one condition: the band
deformities). From 2015 to 2017, PDAD only has a total of may workers, NGOs in Thailand using
only perform
P260,000 AIP budget, but it was able to hand out 59 (2)traditional
Assessmentdrums.(considers home this, PDAD
To accomplish
environment, lifestyle, physical
sought the expertise of U.P. KontraGaPi,
assistive devices, consisting of 41 wheelchairs, 9 crutches,
whichcondition)
billed them P20,000 for ten two-hour
8 walkers, and a quad cane, some courtesy of its partners
(3)training
Prescription
sessions(wheelchair
on weekends, type, size,
plus P2,000
and donors. The wheelchairs have been customized to modifications needed)
instrument rental for the Thailand
give an ergonomic fit to the user. For Filipinos, sizes could (4) Funding and ordering
performance.
range from 12 to 18. Twenty-three of the wheelchairs (5) Product Preparation (PDAD to pickup
were given to women. Sixteen were received by men (Box ordered wheelchairs from donors (LDS)
To orraise money
Office of theforMayor
the pre-event
for initialexpense,
fitting
9). all the parents sold peanut butter, pickled
and adjustments
(6)papaya,
Fittingand
(bybead accessories.
certified wheelchair They raised
Before, the practice was just to look for a wheelchair to P54,000 in twosetting-up,
technician, months, enoughadditionalto shoulder
distribute without taking the body measurements and some pocket money. The 30-member
modifications/fittings as needed)
structure of the user, lifestyle, and corresponding (7)delegation’s
User trainingairfare and accommodations
(technician instructs user
modifications necessary. However, taking note of these were andjointly
caregivers
sponsoredon safebyand
the effective
city use
and maintenance of device)
government and Thailand organizers.
ensures that the wheelchair fits the recipient and will not
(8) Follow up, maintenance, repair
cause him/her discomfort or illness. Now, PDAD visits the (technician
It was a proud schedule
moment for dates thewith userto
parents for
PWD at home to do the measurements. This form-fitting follow up which offers opportunity for
see their children playing on stage. They
and customization was made possible because of the were checking
the only fitdelegation
and furthercomposed
training and of
opportunity offered by the LDS Charities, which invited support)
children not accompanied by the coach
(PDAD 2015a)
members of PDAD to attend standard basic and during the performance. “Nakakatuwa na
intermediate wheelchair training courses. Graduates of sinasabihan ng amazing, excellent,
the course are certified wheelchair technicians, including unbelievable ang aming mga anak!”
the three members of the PDAD Team. LDS Charities flew
(Baron, Caspe, Limbo, personal comm., 13 March 2018)
in foreign specialists for this purpose. LDS Charities
likewise donates around 20 wheelchairs annually to PDAD
(PDAD 2015a).
MANDALUYONG CITY
18
Sports and Socio-cultural programs. Among PDAD programs, this is the one that brings pride and
esteem to the city and to the PWD population. Sports
events include the summer clinic involving training of
BOX 11.
trainers, athletes’ pool development for sports such as

Enabling Rhythm
futsal and taekwondo, painting classes, and the first
Boccia Classification and Games Intercity Tournament How do you teach children how to dance if
hosted by the city government on September of 2015. they cannot hear the music? This is the
challenge Ariel faced as the overall director
of the 2012 CWD variety show. The bigger
“Binigyan (nila) ng pagkakataon ang mga bata na part of the task is to organize a dance group
magkatalento,” is how Venus Pedro summarized the of CWD performers.
accomplishment of the Mandaluyong Children with

Ariel coordinated with SpEd schools for a
Disabilities (CWD) Drum and Lyre. The Band is the first one-day audition. In the audition, musical
of its kind in the Philippines. It is composed of children pieces were played and the children were
with developmental disabilities like ASD, ADHD, and observed. No specific instruction was given.
Those who moved according to the rhythm
intellectual disability. The band was featured in UNICEF
were chosen. More or less 30 children were
Philippine Report for Children with Disability, and it selected. From the original members, 15 are
performed in the ASEAN Drum Festival in Thailand in still with the group today. Practices were
2017 where 13 countries were represented (Box 10). scheduled 2-3 times a week, for 3 hours each
session. It took two months to polish the
dancers and finalize their routines.
The CWD Drum and Lyre started in 2012 out of sheer
curiosity of the PDAD chief. For PWD-related events, The greatest challenge for Ariel as a dancer
PDAD used to invite the drum and lyre band of the and a trainer was not the choreography but
the test of patience and perseverance. That’s
Eulogio Rodriguez Integrated School (ERIS). When a why when the variety show ran smoothly, he
city government employee donated funds needed to felt he “accomplished the mission”. Parents
procure musical instruments, the PDAD chief thought were teary-eyed. The audience consisting of
the LGU officials, staff and city residents
that since playing musical pieces is routinary, it might
were in awe, he said. Ariel felt that,
be good for children with disability to try it as well. “ginulat namin silang lahat. Ang akala ng
When the instruments were already procured, children marami na imposible, posible pala!”
with disabilities from the five SpEd schools were invited
(A. Allorde, personal communication, 14 March 2018)
to play them. At first, the children were not serious and
seemed to be just playing with drum sticks and the
instruments. After two months, the children learned the musical pieces and were able to play
together in harmony. Fifteen children- seven lyrists, four snares, one trio, one quadro and two bass
drum players, trained regularly. Out of the original members, four are still with the group, and the
rest are either already in college or have transferred residence. A minimum of 15 members is
maintained through recruitment.
PDAD organizes the practice, offers the venue, and looks for snack sponsors. Being the “manager” of
the band, PDAD informs the parents of the band members whenever the group is asked to perform
in events. A staff from the Mayor’s Command Center serves as the musical director. A unique
feature of the Band is the presence of sibling volunteers. PDAD encourages parents to bring with
them the CWD’s siblings during practice for them to learn to play and bond together. This also helps
parents to devote quality time to their non-PWD children. At present, there are two sibling
volunteers.
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The Band’s first performance was in the birthday party of their sponsor. Before, they needed one to
two months to learn one song. Now, they only need two to three sessions to learn a new piece. They
have been invited to perform in events in the city hall, such as in welcoming international
delegations (2015 Sri Lanka, 2016 Thailand and Vietnam) and LGU employees from numerous places
(Bukidnon City, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte in 2015; Nueva Ecija, San Fernando Pampanga, Vigan City,
Itogon in 2016; and San Antonio, Nueva Ecija and San Enrique, Iloilo in 2017). They have also
performed in big events, including the NCR Child Friendly Local Governance Awards and the ASEAN
Conference, both in 2016.
Complementing the Band is the CWD Angels, a dance group composed of children with intellectual
disability. PDAD wanted to showcase CWD talents of dancing and playing music (Drum and Lyre)
through a variety show. To form the dance group, the division recruited a substitute teacher cum
choreographer in 2012 to lead in the organization of a variety show for CWD. Ariel, who is now a job-
order employee in PDAD, was in charge of the show concept, selection of dancers, training, and
directing from May 2012 to the July variety show. He conducted a one-day audition, recruiting about
30 CWD who trained for two months. The dancers are taught different genres – folk, ballet,
ballroom, contemporary.
CWD Angels now perform in different events in the City Hall. Their most notable performance was in
the ASEAN Summit held at the Century Hotel. The city government shoulders the costume,
transportation and meals of the performers in these events. For each performance, the group
usually receives a token amount of P2,000 to P5,000, which the group uses either for bonding
activities or for props and costumes (Box 11).
Another group is the Silence Movers, which is composed of Deaf dancers. The group was formed by
PDAD, taking inspiration from the Internacional Teatro Silencio Filipinas, whose members are from
the city.
Barangay PWD Coordinators. This neophyte initiative of PDAD, less than five years old, requires that
the barangay government assign from among themselves (kagawad, secretary or treasurer) a focal
person who would serve as barangay PWD coordinator. The barangay PWD coordinators are the first
ones to be informed by PDAD of schedules of programs it plans to bring to barangays. They are in
charge of bringing the information to the community and when needed, mobilizing the barangay
PWD residents such as during PWD ID issuance visits. They are also PDAD’s source of information on
possible program recipients from their area. In case the PDAD could not locate or contact a certain
PWD, it asks the help of the PWD coordinator of the barangay where the PWD resides. The
coordinators do not receive compensation from PDAD but the barangay may grant them additional
honorarium. The coordinators are vital in rolling out the proposed PWD mapping for emergency
assistance project of PDAD.
viii. Custodial role: PDAD Monitoring
PDAD finds it difficult to perform its monitoring mandate mainly because it is juggling many other
functions.
MANDALUYONG CITY
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Accessibility. PDAD recognized its weakness in monitoring the compliance to the Accessibility Law.
Nevertheless, Mandaluyong City is an SGLG awardee. This means that it met the requirements for
the entrance and exit access ramps and PWD-friendly toilets, at least for the new Executive Building.
The old building (Legislative Building) only observes the access ramp requirement for the main
entrance and is not PWD-friendly once you go inside. All entrances to the individual offices are
designed with elevated front steps, making it challenging for blind or PWDs using wheelchair to get
in. Even the entrance to the toilet was designed the same way. There are no plans to renovate the
old building to improve the access features since the proposal for a new building is underway.
PDAD has expressed concerns on improving the access features of the Police Building entrance (with
five front steps, no ramp). It was explained to PDAD that these concerns will be considered when the
new Police Building is constructed soon. PDAD’s request to the General Services Department to
make their own toilet more PWD-friendly (currently with no grab bars) is yet to be acted upon by the
General Services Office. The division used to be housed in the old building. Fortunately, the city
government constructed a small office for PDAD at the back of the new building close to a gate
entrance.
PDAD is not a member of the accessibility audit team, which does annual February audits. But
previously, one PDAD staff goes around the city solo to check for accessibility compliance of public
and private buildings. This is between 2004 and 2006. The staff stopped after suffering from a
stroke in 2006 and PDAD left the monitoring of accessibility compliance to the City Engineering
Office because of the division’s limited staff complement.
Employment and livelihood. PDAD is unable to monitor the compliance of organizations to the 1%
PWD employee complement policy. The city government HRMD does not observe this requirement.
PDAD is likewise unable to follow up on their employment referrals to ascertain whether the PWD
employees are still with the company. It is also unable to check-up on the DOLE livelihood grantees
to know whether those who received the grant are still in business.
Wheelchair monitoring and maintenance. In the case of distributed wheelchairs, PDAD makes sure
that recipients are visited every now and then to check for appropriateness of fit, needed
modifications, posture corrections, and usage and maintenance issues. The wheelchair technicians in
the office are concerned with the possible health problems that may arise should they fail to
monitor and help in the maintenance of the assistive devices.
ix. A Community of Partners
Networked community members. PDAD works with numerous organizations from all sectors to
enable it to perform both its direct and coordinative functions. Figure 7 illustrates the network of
organizations and groups where PDAD has regular interactions and engagements. Succeeding
sections summarize the nature of these engagements.
MANDALUYONG CITY
21
Figure 7. PDAD’s Community of Program Partners
Private
Companies
Mcdo Bench
Barangay All Around Services CSOs/
PWD Coordinators NGOs
LDS Charities
Resource for Blind
PDA
City gov’t
DPOs
CSWDD Project TEACH
ASP local chapter
GAD Focal PESD
DRRM Council National ADHD local chapter
Government
DOLE DepEd NCDA
Partners within the city government. PDAD has established collaborative working arrangements
with a number of offices in the city government. For health, education and shelter-related services,
the division works with Project TEACH (assessment and therapy referrals for indigent CWD) and
CSWDD (social case studies, PhilHealth for indigents, Lingap Kabataan, additional assistive devices,
financial assistance for laboratory exams and medicines). The partnership, spanning more than a
decade, has led PDAD-CSWDD-Project TEACH at a working arrangement with clear assignment of
roles and types of assistance provided to PWDs.
PESD, MMTVTC and PDAD team up to address the employment challenges faced by PWDs through
SPES, training, and livelihood grants. GAD Office lends further support through funding for capacity
building, seed capital, and even provision of assistive devices. The GAD Focal Person stated that 25%
of PDAD programs with gender and development components may be funded from the budget.
Examples are programs for WWD, CWD, sensitivity trainings, among others.
PDAD also consistently worked with DRRM Council to include PWD concerns in disaster planning and
rescue operations. This resulted in a number of capacity building programs that raise awareness on
PWD-inclusive DRR, such as on evaluation planning. PDAD would be working with the DRR experts in
their proposed GPS plotting of PWD residents in partnership with the barangay leaders and PWD
Coordinators. The addresses of PWD residents would be geotagged and stickers would be posted on
these houses, upon enactment of an ordinance. The stickers basically show internationally
recognized PWD logo that is color-coded to reflect the nature of disability of the resident/s so that
rescuers during emergency situations would know in advance the necessary considerations for
successful evacuation.
The PDAD chief’s relationship with other offices and her visibility in Technical Working Groups (TWG)
and local councils like the Local Development Council (LDC) are crucial in eliciting support. A
CDRRMO/council staff shared that Chief Marquez is present in almost all TWG meetings. She also
observed that it is in those meetings that Chief Marquez casually follows up on her request for PWD
MANDALUYONG CITY
22
participation in the programs of the other offices such as a request to the health office for slots or
number of days exclusively for children with disability during feeding programs and the request for
the Engineering Team to join the summer clinic as artists and painters for the art activities for the
kids.
Complementing the access to the LGU network is Chief Marquez’s’s familiarity with the
administrative process and schedule. This is the focus of the GAD Focal person’s comment when she
said that “Wennah knows a lot, especially about
schedule of documents submission, because she BOX 12
knows that in securing budget, time is of the Seek and You Shall Find
essence.”
DENR is not a likely partner for PDAD.
Environment and disability seem to be
National agency partners. PDAD regularly remotely connected. But through an
interacts with the NCDA, DOLE, and the informal expression of interest of the PDAD
Department of Education (DepEd) through the five chief to participate in a DENR activity, an
exclusive environmental awareness and
SpEd schools in the city. The division mainly
education tour was organized for PWDs of
interacts with NCDA through the quarterly Mandaluyong City on 25 July 2017. PDAD
meetings of the Regional Committee on Disability brought around 50 parents and their PWD
Affairs (RCDA) and the monthly PWD-relevant family members. The tour was in the Parks
and Wildlife in Quezon City.
celebrations that are used as avenues for
awareness raising and advocacy. RCDA is For DENR, this interaction is a pleasant
composed of a number of national government experience. The DENR officer even said that
agencies (TESDA, DOH, DOLE, DSWD, DOTr, PIA), they have not heard of such a request from
another local government.
select NGOs, and the PDAOs of local governments
in NCR. RCDA offers an avenue for NCR PDAOs to (DENR employee, personal comm., 27 March 2018)
receive policy and schedule updates, share good
practices, and to build networks.
PDAD works with DOLE through PESD. DOLE’s BUB livelihood grant and SPES programs are brought
down to the city government with PESD in-charge of participant selection. For DepEd, PDAD engages
directly with the five SpEd schools namely Eulogio Rodrigez Integrated School, Isaac Lopez Integrated
School, Pedro P. Cruz Elementary School, Nueve de Febrero Elementary School, and Jose Fabella
Memorial School. PDAD coordinates with the schools for their visits for ID issuance, invitations for
the monthly celebrations, engagement with parents, and solicitation of names of referrals for the
SPES program.
PDAD rarely engages with the city-based DILG except for invitations for the monthly celebrations
and the submission of annual monitoring reports which were previously submitted quarterly.
Information from the reports have not really been used by DILG; the reports are basically filed and
shelved afterwards. The DILG unit admits it is not much familiar with the sector and is thus unable to
offer technical assistance to PDAD on the subject (A.R. Quines, personal comm., 14 March 2018).
Aside from these, PDAD looks for other ‘unusual’ partners like the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (Box 12).
MANDALUYONG CITY
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Partners on the Ground. PDAD has introduced the idea of assigning PWD Coordinators at the
barangay level. No legislative or executive policy governs this, and PDAD works with the barangays
through its usual approach – partnerships. Partly because of the absence of material or monetary
support from the city, not all of the 27 barangays complied but some have been quite “progressive”.
Barangay Wack-wack, for example, has created a PWD committee that coordinates with PDAD, the
City Health Office and the GAD focal person for assistance and quarterly updates on these sectors.
The presence of active PWD coordinators at the barangay facilitates easier access to the PWD
population in the delivery of programs and services, such as Lingap Paningin, Oplan Balik Ngiti, and
the issuance of IDs.
PDAD may have to explore the monitoring of performance of CESD livelihood grantees through the
coordinators. However, the current lack of material incentives may limit the assignment of
coordinators for all barangays. PDAD at present does not have information on whether all the
barangays have already assigned Coordinators. Nonetheless, existing Coordinators benefit from non-
material support such as the training on Basic Filipino Sign Language. This is particularly important in
cases where an interpreter is needed in situations requiring documentation, such as blotters, police
reports and investigations.
Private sector partners. “Only a few organizations are opening their doors for employing PWDs,”
Chief Marquez opined. PDAD’s private sector partners are among these few. These are McDonalds
branches in the city, Bench, and SM malls through All Around Services and Merchandising
Corporation. Happee and Unilab were former partners but they have not communicated with PDAD
recently.
In the case of SM’s provider of manpower services (All Around), PWDs are hired for housekeeping,
janitorial, and elevator operator jobs. Vacancies offered are not limited to SM malls in Mandaluyong,
but also those in Pasay and Fairview (QC). Should there be vacancies, PDAD scans its pool of scholars
and former program beneficiaries, and the database of PWDs, for possible referrals. In a preliminary
screening, PDAD looks at the ability to travel alone (mobility), skills, and education background (i.e.,
basic English proficiency). The PWDs sent to All Around Services are trained for five days (for
elevator operation) to seven days (for housekeeping). They are required to keep daily reports of the
tasks that they have done and these reports are submitted to a staff of the manpower agency who is
assigned to evaluate the PWDs’ performance. During training, the PWDs are also assessed for their
ability to follow basic instructions.
If the PWD applicant passes the final screening by All Around Services, they are deployed for
employment in a mall. They then receive the standard rate of P512 daily, same with employees with
no disability.
When asked why they work with Mandaluyong PDAD, the Senior Administrative Officer interviewed
replied, “Sila lang naman ang tumatawag at nagbibigay at nagtatanong sa amin kung may
kailangang PWD. So sila na lang din ang tinatawagan kapag mayroon ngang opening, bukod sa okay
silang katrabaho at okay ang mga ibinibigay nila, madaling matuto.” The officer commented that
“Mas gusto namin iyong mga galing sa Mandaluyong kaysa sa mga walk-ins. Wala kaming problema
sa mga ipinapadala ng Mandaluyong. Hindi mahirap magrequest sa Mandaluyong. May reserve sila
so the next day, may list na, tatawag na sila agad.” The officer likewise said, “Sana may
MANDALUYONG CITY
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employment din for bulag and other PWDs. Hindi lang ortho, Deaf and mute. Pero labas na kami
doon. Depende na sa request ng SM.”
Support from CSOs and DPOs. PDAD works with a number of CSOs but among the more
institutionalized partnerships are those with Resources for the Blind, Inc. and the Kababaihang
Kakaiba ng Mandaluyong (KKM) for the Lingap Paningin program for almost two decades now. For
Oplan Balik Ngiti, it has partnered with the Philippine Band of Mercy and the Philippine Association
of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (PAPRAS) for 16 years already. The relationship with
LDS Charities is relatively new but is also strong. The organization regularly donates wheelchairs, and
the PDAD chief holds weekend training activities on wheelchair measurement and customization.
PDAD also recently partnered with Support and Empower Abused Deaf Children (SEADC), which
introduced in 2014 the Read Along Program. The reading program specifically for Deaf children
teaches them about types of abuses and their prevention. Parents are likewise engaged to expose
them to the learning process of their PWD children.
Among the 12 disabled peoples organizations in the city, the most active are the local chapters of
ASD, ADHD, DSAPI, CPAP and the Katipunan ng mga Magulang na may Anak na May Kapansanan
(Box 2). PDAD engages them in livelihood activities, organizes monthly pep talks for parents to raise
their awareness on children’s disability and give them advice, and provides tips for handling their
children. They also organize Parents’ Support Groups, which serve as venue for parents’ especially
mothers to share their experiences and share emotional support. The support group sessions are
conducted every Saturday at the city hall. Around 20 mothers regularly attend the sessions.
x. Insights and Recommendations
The Mandaluyong City Government, through PDAD, pioneered the delivery of programs and services
for PWDs at the local level. Other local governments that are late-starters in the implementation of
RA 10070, or even those that have established existing institutional mechanisms before the national
law, can learn from PDAD on how to run their PDAO offices and what specifically to work on. Here
are some of the lessons, recommendations and some questions in learning from PDAD’s two
decades of operations.
Leadership. As with other policy areas, leadership counts. In Mandaluyong City, the PWD community
enjoyed the support of the local chief executives and the local sanggunian. This is evident in the
creation of DPAD (now PDAD) more than a decade prior to the national law requiring this office (RA
10070). The establishment of another unit, Project TEACH, highlights the critical role local
policymakers play in prioritizing investments. Mandaluyong City showed that it is willing and able to
spend for children with disabilities. But there is still room to improve the current spending (0.15%
share of PDAO on the city’s total expense).
The leadership of Wennah Marquez in PDAD was just as critical. The division chief was able to
communicate a clear vision to her office colleagues and to the active members of the support
groups/DPOs who are able to communicate this shared vision as well. When asked about Wenna’s
fitness for her position as PDAD chief, Mandaluyong City Administrator Ernesto Victorino said:
“Talaga namang karapat-dapat (siya sa posisyon).” The ‘preference for a PWD’ to lead the office
MANDALUYONG CITY
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was not raised as an issue since the Chief has always been interested and engaged in the sector.
More than that, she has exhibited perseverance and dedication towards providing quality services to
the PWD community. In the words of a mother of one of the CWD Drum and Lyre Band members,
“hindi lang laway.”

The remaining challenge is the absence of an organized and united PWD community. There have
been no recent efforts to create a federation of the 12 DPOs in the city. The PWD sector is an
amorphous group, a majority of which are poorly educated and are facing different physical or
developmental challenges that hinder their participation in governance. This suggests the need for
an umbrella organization that could represent their concerns and sentiments. The presence of a
united community through a strong federation could have sustained discussions over the recall of
Ordinance 423 of 2008, which localizes the RA 9442 granting special privileges and incentives to
PWDs. Meanwhile, the position of the city’s PWD population is set to be included in the hearings for
the scheduled review of the Anti-Riding in Tandem ordinance (2014) this year because the ordinance
has implications on the mobility of PWDs.
The PWD community could get ideas from the success of Mandaluyong City’s elderly population to
enforce the expanded Senior Citizen’s Act and push for the provision of honoraria for association
chapter officers. Forming a federation may be a good starting point for similar proposals in the PWD
sector. The federation should look into its gradually increasing membership, given the inclusion of
PWDs with disabilities due to chronic illnesses. PDAD plays a pivotal role in sustaining the federation
and making it visible and functional. The monthly support group sessions could be a good venue to
discuss this possibility.
On General Assembly and Personnel-related concerns. The requirement for the conduct of a
general assembly (GA) in the nomination for PDAD chief was not applicable in the case of
Mandaluyong, since the IRR for RA 10070 was released on 2016 and the appointment of the current
chief was finalized four years prior. Nevertheless, DILG and the city HRMD should still be familiar
with the GA requirement should there be a situation requiring a new PDAD head.
Though the PDAD Team members agree that the Division Chief need not be a PWD, they believe the
division has to have PWD employees. They stated that what is more important is the representation
of the different disabilities among the staff – Deaf, orthopaedic, visually-impaired, etc. This is to
ensure that a PWD having the same disability will not hesitate to engage with PDAD and that there
will be no “turfing,” where plans and programs lean towards those who are most represented.
Of the 19 plantilla positions in PDAD, only six are filled and four non-tenured staff are added. The
structure is an inverted T with one high post and all the remaining positions located at the bottom.
PDAD should push for the opening and funding of the PSO II position (SG-15) in the upcoming 2019
re-organization. The Division Chief obviously needs someone who could help her with her current
workload (reports, meetings, decision making, networking).
Another personnel issue is the small probability of promoting the incumbents. PDAD Team members
should strive to attend the CSC eligibility exam review sessions offered by HRMD prior to their CSC
exams. Should they fail to obtain the eligibility, the only other option is for the division chief to
MANDALUYONG CITY
26
review the index of government positions and see whether the positions could be renamed and
reconfigured in the 2019 reorganization. For example, what positions capture the skill sets of the
wheelchair technician or the dancer-choreographer? PDAD prioritizes internal promotion over
external recruitment to prevent demoralization among the incumbent employees who are ineligible
for the higher SG posts. Should the exam and the position renaming options fail to materialize, until
when can PDAD carry on with status quo before it finally concedes with the least ideal option of
external recruitment? While maintaining status quo, other critical functions like monitoring would
continue to be overlooked.
Implementer and Coordinator in one. PDAD performs direct implementer and coordinative roles.
Despite limited personnel and budget, its direct services include ID issuance, data banking,
wheelchair measurement and customization, education/awareness raising activities, and job
matching. As a coordinator, it works on employment (SPES, livelihood), capacity building (skills
training, scholarships), monthly events, provision of assistive devices, and monthly pep talks for PWD
groups. It has to take on a bigger role as the coordinator/facilitator of the Federation and as
monitor.
The arrangements between PDAD and Project TEACH is a unique one. PDAD coordinates with Project
TEACH, although logically, Project TEACH should be a part of PDAD. There is an open question as to
why there is a need for two separate units. Still, this is a matter of executive prerogative.
Networking and Advocacy. Networking is important for most of PDAD’s programs. Some of the
organizational partnerships started way back in 1999. PDAD has also shown that participation in
committees, TWGs, councils, meetings could offer opportunities for networking and advocacy.
The division’s approach of engaging fellow service providers like the police and health workers
beyond awareness raising and towards better service delivery, such as through the Basic Sign
Language training, is a step towards the right direction. The recruitment of barangay PWD
coordinators is likewise a good initiative. Nonetheless, there may be a need to define the roles of
coordinators besides mobilizing people. They could be tapped for PWD service monitoring, but
incentives may need to be granted for them to continue the work.
On specific programs. There is a need to link the information from the database with new programs
that would be proposed. For example, data shows that of the 36% employed PWDs, 2/3 have
orthopaedic disabilities. There may be a need to look at the figures for Deaf and visually impaired
city residents and establish whether they are indeed left out of the employment market, as
insinuated by a manpower sub-contractor and the PESD staff. Also, should PDAD observe the WHO
ICF approach, the number of issued PWDs IDs may come close to the 10-15% estimate.
PDAD may also want to persuade CESO to reserve slots for qualified PWDs in their scholarship
program to help more PWDs advance to college. The bigger challenge is reaching the potential
scholars given the low scholarship demand from PWDs.
Monitoring. PDAD needs to work more on its monitoring functions. For one, it needs to persuade
the HRMD to observe compliance to the 1% PWD HR complement in the city government and
MANDALUYONG CITY
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monitor its performance. Second, it can work with the barangay PWD coordinators to ensure
comprehensive PWD ID issuance in the city through house visits. PDAD should verify whether the
house visits have been undertaken. Third, the barangay coordinators can also be the means for
PDAD to monitor the success or failure of its livelihood support program with DOLE and PESD. For
these last two, PDAD needs to look for material or non-material incentives for the coordinators to
oblige. Fourth, PDAD’s database manager should link PWD-related information provided by the PWD
coordinators to the main databank and regularly update this. This will allow the office to generate
insights and trends from the said database. Lastly, PDAD may explore how to localize an accessibility
audit in the city or how to join the accessibility audit team every February.
PDAD’s experience suggests that if local governments have the will, improving the welfare of PWDs
is possible. It sends a message that government institutions can be so loved that they are treated as
a second home by the people they serve. A mother even went so far to say that, “if you are family
with a PWD member, there’s no place else in the Philippines you’d rather be.”
References
Mandaluyong City Government. (2017 Aug). Ulat sa Bayan.
Mandaluyong City Government, Budget Office. (2018). Actual expenses/obligations by expenditure

items, 2013-2017. (2018). 20% Development Fund and total income, 2013-2017.
Mandaluyong City Government, Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division (PDAD). (2018). List of PWD
City Employees by gender, disability, department, job title, eligibility, nature of appointment.
(2018). Annual Investment Plan.
(2018). PWD/ID Issued Database as of 14 March 2018.
(2015a). Accomplishment Report.
(2015 Q3 – 2017 Q2). (Quarterly) Status report on the implementation of RA 10070 and DILG
Memo. 2010-103 (PDAO)
(n.d.). City Ordinance/Resolutions passed for the welfare of PWDs (1998-2011).
(n.d.). List of Disability –related celebrations.
Mandaluyong City Government, Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs. (2018). Tracking of annual
investment plan (AIP) 2017 and Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) 2017-2019.
MANDALUYONG CITY
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Mohamad, Qasim Abdullah. (2018). Gender difference in learning disabled children
Neuropsychological review Research and Reviews on Health Care: Open Access Journal 1(3)-
2018. RRHOAJ. MS.ID.000111. Accessed at
http://www.lupinepublishers.com/rrhoaj/pdf/RRHOAJ.MS.ID.000111.pdf
https://psa.gov.ph/content/population-national-capital-region-based-2015-census-population-0
World Health Organization. (2011). World Report on Disability. Prepared with World Bank. Malta.
Report accessible at www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report/en/.
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List of Interviewees
INFORMANT/FGD Participant Designation Office Date (2018)
1. Adricula, Roxane Program Evaluator Mandaluyong City GAD Office 13-Mar

2. Mandaluyong City Persons with
Allorde, Ariel Administrative Aide I 14-Mar
Disabilities Affairs Division
3. Mandaluyong CWD Drum and Lyre
Baron, Jennifer Parent 13-Mar
Band
4. Assistant Barangay PWD
Cabusao, Erlinda Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong City 14-Mar
Coordinator
5. City Nutrition Action
Camarines, Pecos Mandaluyong City Health Department 14-Mar
Officer, Consultant
6. Candole, Carmel Secretary Autism Society Local Chapter 14-Mar
Caspe, Ma. Teresa Parent 13-Mar
Band
8. Senior Administrative Mandaluyong Office of the Secretary to
Celeste, Chona 14-Mar
Asistant II the Sanggunian
9. Development
Management Officer II, Department of Environment and
Dela Cruz, Franelie 27-Mar
Senior Citizens and PWD Natural Resources-DENR
Focal Person
10. Barangay PWD
Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City
Delos Santos, Christian Coordinator 13-Mar
Barangay Hulo PWD Association
Vice President
11. Barangay PWD Barangay Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong
Dona, Edwin 15-Mar
Coordinator City
12. Labor and Employment
Assistant Mandaluyong City Public Employment
Dorio, Richard Venz 13-Mar
Barangay PWD Service Division
Coordinator
13. Esmas, Eric Franco Social Welfare Officer III DSWD Sanctuary Center for Women 22-Mar
14. Esteban, Josephine Coordinator ADHD Society of the Philippines 15-Mar
15. Mandaluyong City Engineering
Galang, Rey Engineer III 13-Mar
Department
16. Project Development Mandaluyong City Planning and
Gasilao, Susan 13-Mar
Officer III Development Department
17. Katipunan ng mga Magulang ng mga
Gonzales, Mary Jean President 14-Mar
Batang may Kapansanan
18. Isidro, Jimmy Chief of Staff Mandaluyong City Mayor’s Office 13-Mar
Limbo, Josephine Parent 13-Mar
Band
20. Mandaluyong City Persons with
Marquez, Wennah Chief 12-Mar
21. Mandaluyong City Local Disaster
Naguit, Kimberly Research Assistant 15-Mar
Coordinating Council
22. Orayan, Myrna Administrative Aide III Mandaluyong City Persons with 12-Mar
MANDALUYONG CITY
30
INFORMANT/FGD Participant Designation Office Date (2018)

23. Assistant Barangay PWD

Panagdato, Rowena Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong City 14-Mar

Coordinator
24. Pedro, Venus President Autism Society Local Chapter 14-Mar
25. Local Government Operations Office-
Quines, Annie Ruth LGOO VI 14-Mar
Mandaluyong City
26. Ramento, Rowena President Down Syndrome Association 14-Mar
27. Cerebral Palsy Association Local
Raymundo, Cristina Vice President 14-Mar
Chapter
28. Senior Administrative All Around Services and Merchandising

Sison, Ross Charmaine 22-Mar
Officer Corporation
29. Mandaluyong City Social Welfare and
Sumaylo, Melinda Social Welfare Officer I 12-Mar
Development Department
30. Mandaluyong City Gender and
GAD Focal Person
Tubig, Melody Imelda Development Office; Mandaluyong City 13-Mar
Head
Educational Services Office
31. Victorino, Ernesto E. City Administrator City Government of Mandaluyong 13-Mar
32. Barangay government
Anonymous Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong City 15-Mar
staff
33. Anonymous Parent CWD Angels 14-Mar
34. Anonymous Barangay government Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong
15-Mar
staff City
35. Anonymous Mandaluyong City Public Employment
Employee 13-Mar
Service Division
36. Anonymous Mandaluyong City Human Resource
Employee 13-Mar
Management Department
37. Anonymous Mandaluyong City Persons with
Employee 12-Mar
38. Anonymous Barangay government
Barangay Poblacion, Mandaluyong City 15-Mar
staff
39. Anonymous Barangay government Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong
15-Mar
staff City
Employee 12-Mar
Employee 12-Mar
42. Anonymous Mandaluyong City Planning and
Employee 13-Mar
Development Department
43. Anonymous Mandaluyong City Office for Senior
Employee 13-Mar
Citizens Affairs Division
MANDALUYONG CITY
31
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MANDALUYONG CITY A second home: Mandaluyong City's Persons with

Technical Report · November 2019

Elyzabeth F. Cureg Don Jeffery Quebral

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Barangay Reforms View project

CLRG Book of Readings (http://localgov.up.edu.ph/lg-book-of-readings-iv.html) View project

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Elyzabeth Cureg & Don Jeffery Quebral

A second home: Mandaluyong City’s Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division

i. Mandaluyong City PWDs: Single, Ageing, Unemployed

Population distribution by gender is more or less 350

single while 28% are married. In terms of age

Figure 3. Age-Sex Population of PWDs, 2018

80+ years PWD Mandaluyong

20-29 years 10-19

10-19 years 1-9

0-9 years -33% -13% 7% 27%

-25% -15% -5% 5% 15% 25%

the the city.

The city government, through the Persons with BOX 1.

well (W. Marquez, personal comm., 12 March 2018).

of ADHD and ASP responded, “Merong mga in denial (pa).”

iii. Mandaluyong’s PDAD: 12 Years in Advance

The SCAD in Mandaluyong was created in

Felipe Neri Parish during which a sign language

personal comm., 12 March 2018)

Since its establishment in 2007, the Therapy

(2008), restructuring as part of LGU-wide re-organization (2010), anti-Hepa discrimination (2014),

and as a replacement, Resolution 1459 “supporting the

2009 Reso. supporting RA 9442

The six permanent staff are joined by four non-tenured

Figure 5. PDAD Organizational Structure, 2014-2018

Public Services Officer IV (SG22)

Public Services Officer II (SG15)

Administrative Community Affairs & Accessibility & Sports and Socio

 Computer Operator  Reproduction Machine  Computer Operator II (SG9)

Figure 6. Recruitment & Selection Procedure, Mandaluyong City

open vacancy Promotions Posting of

v. The PDAD Family

chief since 2013.

resorts management), three college undergraduates (commerce, computer-related, accounting), and

vi. The Leadership Message: Investing on PWDs

government through the CSWDD decided to

child reaches seven years old, he/she is moved to

In 2004, the Sanggunian issued a resolution (1054)

vii. Fixtures: PDAD Budget and Programs

Table 1. Total City Government, SCAD and PDAD Expenditures, 2013-2016

City Government of Mandaluyong 2013 2014 2015 2016

20% Development Fund 94,871,814.00 104,680,940.00 117,825,214.00 128,962,364.00

example, for the January 2015 National Autism

Each month, PDAD takes part in scheduled

audience. It also managed to offer a fun day of games,

numerous invalid responses. It was only in 2009 with

Look at Employability, not Disability

Among PWDs, “ortho are the most

for companies that provide training for PWDs and

Meet Christian delos Santos, a mobility-

welding, carpentry, bead accessories, and rug sewing.

2015). PDAD’s continuing partnership with the Philippine Memories of are

trainers, athletes’ pool development for sports such as

accomplishment of the Mandaluyong Children with

viii. Custodial role: PDAD Monitoring

ix. A Community of Partners