MANILA, Philippines — Senior Citizen party list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes on Monday pushed for updating the over 40-year-old law for persons with disability (PWDs) to expand its coverage to the elderly, children and members of the LGBTQIA community.
According to Ordanes, amendments to Batas Pambansa 344 and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) are “long overdue.”
BP 344 was passed by the Batasang Pambansa, the country’s parliamentary body at the time, in December 1982 and signed into law by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. on Feb 25, 1983. However, its IRR was crafted only in 2003, with revisions done in July last year.
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“I believe there is room to add the disabilities of older seniors and people with special needs. Perhaps even the LGBTQIA concerns on access to comfort rooms or lavatories can be incorporated into the IRR,” he added.
Santiago gave this assurance Monday, following reports that 888 container vans of rice were discovered sitting in Manila ports for months.
Seaoil, CleanFuel, Petro Gazz, and Shell Pilipinas said the per-liter costs will rise by P1.10 for gasoline and 20 centavos for diesel.
Article continues after this advertisement No defined terms“The IRR scope and application provisions can be improved to consider a wider and inclusive definition of accessibility,” he said, noting that BP 344 does not have a definition of terms.
Article continues after this advertisementAgencies implementing the law, Ordanes said, could also add their company, including those that did not exist back then when the law was passed.
Article continues after this advertisementHe cited as examples the National Commission of Senior Citizens and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, which were only recently created.
“Other provisions that need updating can also be revised. New provisions can also be added,” Ordanes said.
Article continues after this advertisementAnother option, he noted, was to overhaul the law completely “to align it with the new ways laws are written today.”
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