BARMM crafting Magna Carta for PWDs

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 27 December) – A Magna Carta for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is being crafted to further protect the rights and welfare of PWDs in the region.

The Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), headed by Minister Raissa Jajurie, is spearheading the formulation of a landmark disability rights law in line with the Bangsamoro government’s efforts to promote inclusive governance in the BARMM.

Jajurie, also a concurrent Deputy Floor Leader of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, said the Government of the Day seeks to institutionalize disability-inclusive governance in the region.

The Government of the Day refers to the majority in the Bangsamoro Parliament, which is led by the erstwhile rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“The measure emphasizes the responsibility of the current administration to ensure that the rights, welfare, and development of persons with disabilities are mainstreamed into policies, programs, and budgetary priorities of the Bangsamoro government,” Jajurie said in a statement on Friday.

The crafting of the Magna Carta for PWDs in the BARMM seeks to complement the existing national law, Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.

Mohammad Muktadir Estrella, MSSD director general, said they are conducting advocacies and consultations on the proposed regional PWD law as part of the Bangsamoro Government’s commitment to ensuring that inclusivity is embedded in public service delivery.

“We are advancing a more inclusive Bangsamoro by deepening our understanding of the real situation of persons with disabilities,” Estrella said, pushing for sign language, among others, to be part of public service to ensure that every office can serve without communication barriers.

“Beyond the passage of the Magna Carta (for) Persons with Disabilities, the real challenge lies in its faithful implementation, including providing opportunities for employees with disabilities. Inclusion must be a living reality in government, not just words written on paper,” he added.

Jaymar C. Sali, Bangsamoro regional focal person for Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities Welfare Program, noted that members of the Bangsamoro Committee on Disability Affairs (BCDA) were recently trained to provide them “with a uniform lens on disability issues.”

The BCDA is composed of representatives from various BARMM ministries, offices, and agencies.

“Through this training, the BCDA will be better prepared to fulfill its role as the coordinating and monitoring body of the Bangsamoro government for the welfare of persons with disabilities,” Sali said.  (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)