The Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) reported there are more than 5,800 PWDs in the city who are now enjoying services provided by government agencies, the city government, and the private sector.
PDAO officer Samuel Aquino said the number is expected to increase once the City Social Welfare and Development Office completes the evaluation and assessment of the more than 400 PWDs from the barangays.
He said the city government uses the number of PWD identification cards it issued to the members of the vulnerable and marginalized sector as basis in determining the number of PWDs.
But the number of PWDs do not represent the exact data of PWDs in the city because there are families who refuse to declare their members who are PWDs for various reasons.
Aquino said PDAO personnel in coordination with barangay officials are doing their best to convince the families that have PWD members to declare them so that they will be documented and be granted the privileges and benefits of PWDs.
He said the city respects the decision of the families who refuse to declare they have members who are PWDs but they should realize that they are depriving their PWD member of the benefits and privileges provided by government agencies, the city government, and the private sector.
He appealed to the families with PWD members to declare them so they can be included in the interventions given to the PWDs and help them become productive citizens. – PIO release
