Republic of the Philippines Lie
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES // 4° REC
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 219

Introduced by Representatives
MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT FACILITATION SERVICE
NETWORK FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY (PWD) THROUGH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERSONS WITH DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
FACILITATION OFFICE IN EVERY PROVINCE, KEY CITY AND OTHER
STRATEGIC AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

No less than our Constitution recognizes labor as the primary social economic force.
Given this vital role, the State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized
and unorganized, and promote full employment opportunities for all. Further, the Constitution
also mandates the protection of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and the promotion of their
welfare and development.

To carry out this duty, Congress enacted Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, otherwise known
as the “Accessibility Law”, In 1991, Republic Act No. 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled
Persons was promulgated, providing for the rehabilitation, self-development, and self-reliance
of disabled persons and their integration into the community. The benefits and privileges
granted by the said law were subsequently expanded through the enactment of its amendatory
laws, Republic Act Nos. 9442 and 10754. Furthermore, to strengthen its commitment to the
promotion of the welfare of PWDs, the Philippine government is a signatory to the ILO
Convention No. 159, otherwise known as the “Convention on Vocational Rehabilitation of
Persons with Disability”. Globally, the United Nations has also called upon government
agencies all over the world to develop and provide the needed programs to promote the welfare
of PWDs pursuant to the proclamation of the “Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons
from 1903 to 2002” and its extension to another decade from 2003-2012.

Despite these institutionalized protective measures, the International Disability Rights
Monitor (IDRM) reported that only 57.1 percent of the PWDs in the Philippines are employed,


30.9 percent of them are engaged in agriculture such as farmers, forestry workers or fishermen
while 10.8 percent are laborers or unskilled workers.!

To address this gap, this measure seeks to promote equal employment opportunities for
PWDs and strengthen existing employment facilitation service machinery of the government,
particularly at the local levels. As such, this bill aims to establish a “Person with Disability
Employment Facilitation Office (PWDEFO) in all capital towns of provinces, key cities, and
other strategic areas, which shall be community-based and maintained largely by local
government units (LGUs), and a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or
community-based organizations (CBOs). Said office shall ensure the prompt, appropriate, and
timely employment facilitation service for persons with disability and the provision of relevant
information, education, and communication (IEC) materials for the benefit of the PWDs
seeking productive employment opportunities.

The PWDEFO will also provide a venue where PWDs could find and explore various
‘employment options and seek training assistance for possible employment venture and serve
as referral and information center for the various services and programs being provided by the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other government agencies with respect
to the welfare and employment of PWDs.

Social equity does not only demand that all persons shall be treated equally before the
eyes of law, it also takes into account the systemic inequities that the most vulnerable sector of
the society has to endure due to their pre-existing conditions. Through this measure, we will
help not only boost the PWDs’ self-esteem and self-worth, but will also uplift their lives as
they become self-reliant and productive members of the community.

Given the importance of promoting the rights of PWDs to decent work, the immediate
approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.
2nd District of Sultan Kudarat

* Labor Market Intelligence Report. Issue No. 1 s. 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2022 from:
https: ttesda.gov.ph/Uploads/File/LMIR%202020/LMIR%20Issue%2ONO.%201,3%62

%20Enabling%420the%20Disabled.pdf



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

219

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT FACILITATION SERVICE.
NETWORK FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY (PWD) THROUGH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERSONS WITH DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
FACILITATION OFFICE IN EVERY PROVINCE, KEY CITY AND OTHER
STRATEGIC AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Persons with Disability
Employment Facilitation Office (PWDEFO) Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ \t is a declared policy of the State to promote employment
opportunities for persons with disability and strengthen existing employment facilitation
service machinery of the government for persons with disability, particularly at the local levels.

SEC. 3. Establishment of the Persons with Disability Employment Facilitation Office
(PWDEFO). ~ There is hereby established on all capital towns of provinces, key cities and
other strategic areas, a Person with Disability Employment Facilitation Office (PWDEFO),
hereinafter referred to as “PWDEFO”, which shall be community-based and maintained largely
by local government units (LGUs) and a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
or community-based organizations (CBOs),

The PWDEFO shall be linked to the regional offices of the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) for coordination and technical supervision, and to the DOLE Central
Office, to constitute the national employment service network.

SEC. 4. Objectives of the PWDEFO. ~ The Persons with Disability Employment Facilitation
Office shall ensure the prompt, appropriate, and timely employment facilitation service for
persons with disability and the provision of relevant information, education and
communication (IEC) materials for the benefit of the PWDs seeking productive employment
‘opportunities.

Specifically, the PWDEFO shall:


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(A) Provide a venue where PWDs could find and explore various employment options and
seek training assistance for possible employment venture;

(B) Serve as referral and information center for the various services and programs being
provided by the DOLE and other government agencies with respect to the welfare and
employment of PWDs;

(C) Provide PWDs with sufficient information on employment opportunities and labor
market situation in the area; and

(D) Network with other PWDEFOs within the province and/or region on employment
opportunities for PWDs.

SEC. 5. Functions of the PWDEFO. — The PWDEFO shall have the following functions:

(A) Encourage employers to submit to the PWDEFO on a regular basis a list of job
vacancies available for persons with disability in their respective establishments in
order to facilitate the exchange of labor market information between the PWDs who
seek employment and employers by providing employment information services to
PWDs jobseekers and recruitment assistance to employers;

(B) Develop training modules for PWDs in order to improve their skills and comply with
the skills requirement of the employer;

(C) Provide PWDs with access to the various livelihood and self-employment programs
offered by both government and non-government organizations (NGOs) at the
provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels by undertaking referrals for such
programs;

(D) Undertake employability enhancement trainings/seminars for PWDs, as well as those
PWDs who would like to enhance their employability;

(E) Provide occupational counseling, career guidance, mass motivation and values
development activities to PWDs;

(F) Conduct pre-employment counseling and orientation to PWDs;

(G) Provide reintegration assistance services to PWDs who are retrenched or terminated;
and

(H) Perform such functions and willfully carry out the objectives of this Act.

SEC. 6. Other Services of the PWDEFO. — \n addition to the functions enumerated in the
preceding Section, every PWDEFO shall also undertake the following programs and activities:

(A) Jobs Fairs — These shall be conducted periodically all over the country to bring together

in one venue PWD job seekers and employers for immediate matching;

(B) Livelihood and Self-Employment Bazaars ~ These will give the PWDs information on
the wide array of livelihood programs they may choose to avail of, particularly in the
rural areas;


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(C) Work Appreciation Program (WAP) ~ This program aims to develop the values of
work appreciation and ethics by exposing the PWDs to actual work situations; and

(D) Other programs/activities developed by DOLE to enhance provision of employment
assistance to PWDs, particularly for special groups of disadvantaged workers.

SEC. 7. Role of DOLE, LGUs and NGOs. - Upon the request of the LGUs and NGOs which
do not have existing PWDEFOs, the establishment, operation and maintenance of PWDEFOs
shall be undertaken by the DOLE. The DOLE shall enter into memoranda of agreements
(MOAs) with the concerned LGUs and NGOs for the establishment, operation, and
maintenance of PWDEFO in their respective areas of jurisdiction, and the institutionalization
of existing PWDEFOs.

It shall be the responsibility of the DOLE to:

(A) Establish and maintain a computerized PWDs manpower registry of skills and
‘employment and business opportunities to facilitate the provision and packaging of
employment assistance to PWD clients and the setting-up of regional job clearance
systems as part of the overall employment network;

(B) Provide office space, equipment and/or supplies, as well as the necessary personnel
complement to manage, operate and maintain the PWDEFO;

(C) Designate, in consultation with the LGU or NGO concerned, a qualified project
manager and/or key personnel who shall be responsible for the operation and
management of the PWDEFO;

(D) Provide technical assistance and allied support services to the PWDEFO;
(E) Train PWDEFO personnel in the various aspects of employment facilitation functions;

(F) Extend/facilitate such other package of employment services through the provision of
employment assistance to PWD clients of the LGU or NGO concerned, including the
conduct of jobs fairs and other activities; and

(G) Undertake, monitor, assess and evaluate the PWDEFO program implementation.

SEC. 8. Administration of the PWDEFO Program. ~ The DOLE shall be primarily
responsible for the administration of the PWDEFO Program through the Bureau of Local
Employment, as well as its regional offices throughout the country. The Secretary of Labor and
Employment, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and in consultation with the
presidents of the various local government leagues, namely the League of Provinces, the
League of Cities, the League of Municipalities, and the League of Barangays, shall accordingly
promulgate, within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of the Program.

SEC. 9. Conduct of an Annual Nationwide Disability Prevalence Survey. — Realizing the
need to develop a system of reliable information on disability, the Department of Health


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(DOH), in coordination with DOLE and the National Council on the Welfare of Disabled
Persons, is hereby mandated to conduct an Annual Nationwide Disability Prevalence Survey.

The objectives of the Annual Nationwide Disability Prevalence Survey shall include the
following:

(A) To determine the prevalence of disability in the country in general and in the various
regions of the country in particular;

(B) To determine the distribution of disability in the country and in various regions with
respect to age, sex, and type of disability; and

(C) To determine the status of rehabilitation and the rehabilitation needs of PWDs in the
country.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the existing appropriations of the DOLE and its other operating
agencies. Thereafter, the amounts needed for the full implementation of this Act shall be
included in the budget of the DOLE in the succeeding annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - \f any part or provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional
or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue to be in full
force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations and
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.

SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,