Saturday, July 26, 2008 Law gives differently-abled persons more privileges
A NEW law amending the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons has been passed reinforcing the rights and privileges of the persons with disability throughout the country.
Republic Act 9442 otherwise known as the Magna Carta for the Person with Disability (PWD) amended the earlier RA 7277 and mandated more privileges for the differently-abled.
Tony Fabruada, president of the Provincial Federation of Persons with Disabilities in Negros Oriental said that under the new law, differently-abled persons are entitled to a minimum of 20 percent discount on various services from business establishments such as hotel, lodging, restaurants, recreation centers, theaters, cinemas, carnivals and concerts.
They are also entitled with the same discount on medicine purchases and dental services.
The same discount also applies for domestic air, sea and land travel and public railways
Faburada, who was a guest of t he regular Kapihan sa PIA sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency recently, explained that the said incentives under the new law are available for PWDs upon submission of any of the following: identification cards, passport and discount card for transportation.
The new law has also prohibited the ridicule and vilification of the differently-abled. "Ginadili na ang pagyaga-yaga ug pagbinuang sa mga PWDs (It is not allowed to make fun of PWDs)," explained Fabruada.
The law also has put into place penalties for violators of the new Magna Carta for People with Disability ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 and imprisonment from 60 months to six years at the discretion of the court.
The law also mandates that any person who abuses the privileges granted by the law shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than 6months or a fine of not less than 5,000 but not more than 50,000 or both at the discretion of the court.
If the violator is a corporation, organization or any similar entity their officials shall be liable.
If the violator is a foreigner, he shall be deported immediately after serving his sentence without further deportation proceedings.
He also noted that the term used in the new law referring to the differently-abled is now "Person with Disability" instead of "disabled person" which was used in the old law.
The Magna Carta for the PWD aims to fully integrate differently-abled persons into the mainstream of Philippine society. (EBS)
