THE Persons with Disability Affairs Office (Pdao) is currently drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the newly passed Comprehensive Persons with Disability Rights, Privileges, and Protection Ordinance of Davao City to ensure its prompt and organized implementation.
“In my office, on my part, gina draft naku ang proposed IRR, para ma han-ay ang atoang implementation sa maong balaod (In my office, I’m drafting the proposed IRR to streamline the implementation of the ordinance),” said Atty. Redendo Martinez, head of PDAO, during the ISpeak media forum held Thursday morning, July 3, 2025, at the City Mayor’s Office (CMO).
Martinez added that the IRR is expected to be finalized by September 2025, with full implementation of the ordinance targeted within the year.
The 20th City Council approved the ordinance on third and final reading on June 18, 2025. The ordinance aims to reinforce the protection and rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Davao City.
Among its key provisions is the penalization of individuals using fake PWD IDs, with fines ranging from ₱1,000 to ₱5,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, depending on the gravity of the offense. Acts of discrimination, ridicule, or vilification of PWDs will also be penalized under the same terms.
The ordinance further upholds the right to mobility, travel, and other fundamental rights of PWDs.
Authored by Third District Councilor Lorenzo Benjamin D. Villafuerte, the measure builds on previous initiatives such as free movie access for PWDs and the establishment of the PDAO itself.
In a June 10, 2025, interview, Villafuerte described the ordinance as a significant milestone in the city’s continuing efforts to empower the PWD sector.
As of June 2025, the PDAO has recorded about 34,000 officially registered PWDs in Davao City. The number is expected to rise following the expanded definition of PWDs adopted by the Department of Health (DOH), which now includes individuals with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments that limit their full participation in society. RGP