On 14 August 2018, the Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) organized a deaf awareness seminar themed “Breaking Down Employment Barriers for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)” at the iLearn Conference Room, 5th Floor, DOLE Bldg., Intramuros, Manila.
The seminar is in line with ILS’ commitment of promoting welfare and social protection across all sectors, with special focus for deaf and Hard of Hearing (HOH) persons. It also highlighted the importance of increasing sensitivity to bridge the communication gap with PWDs through sign language.
“This initiative is at the core of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) vision of leaving no one behind and is also in line with the DOLE’s 8-point Agenda,” explains Acting Executive Director Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba as she welcomed the sixty participants from the different DOLE agencies, bureaus and services.
Among those who shared their experiences were Mr. Raphael Torralba, Assistant for Persons with Disability Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs, who talked about his experience as a hard of hearing person in the workplace. Mr. Raymond Manding, of the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, also discussed concerns of HOH persons.
Based on the 2010 census, there are 4,466,649 persons with disabilities in the Philippines, hence, the government is providing equal opportunities to differently abled persons. RA 7277 or the Magna Carta for persons with disabilities mandated the public sector to allot at least one percent (1% ) of its total workforce for PWDs, while the law also encouraged private sectors to employ more PWDs among their ranks.
The Institute for Labor Studies is the policy and research arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information about ILS products and services, please visit: http//ils.dole.gov.ph or call Advocacy and Publication Division at Tel. No. 527-3590