Davao City exec pushes local law for PWD rights

A DAVAO City official is advocating for stronger legal support for persons with disabilities (PWDs), citing the need for more inclusive local legislation.

Renendo Martinez, head of the Persons with Disability Affairs Division (Pdad) under the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO),  during the Sangguniang Panlungsod session on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, said PWDs in the city remain one of the most marginalized sectors.

To address this, Martinez is pushing for the passage of City Ordinance 0417-42, which outlines the rights, benefits, and protections for the PWD community. The proposed ordinance also includes penalties for violations of these rights at the local level.

However, Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III expressed reservations about the proposed measure, pointing out that similar provisions already exist under national law.

“It does not specifically mention PWDs, but it refers to ‘all persons’ in general—so that includes PWDs, senior citizens, and others,” Zozobrado said.

Despite the overlap, Martinez maintained that a local ordinance would provide clearer and more immediate benefits to the PWD sector.

However, Martinez emphasized that having a local ordinance could be beneficial, as it would allow the city to tailor policies that more directly support and include marginalized sectors like the PWD community.

Martinez also noted that the ordinance offers PWDs the choice to either follow national law or comply with the local ordinance, which may reduce penalties in certain cases. Under the national law, violations may result in up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of ₱50,000.

Ordinance 0417-42 is still in draft form and has yet to be approved, but it is scheduled for further discussion in the next council session.

According to the National Council on Disability Affairs, there are 1,638,588 registered PWDs in the Philippines as of June 8, 2024. In Davao City, around 2,000 PWDs are currently registered under the CSWDO. Hannah Katrina Marisse Martinez, AdDU Intern