Ensuring Accessible and Inclusive Infrastructure for Persons with Disabilities

A comprehensive new policy from the Philippine Department of Education is set to start dismantling barriers that keep students with disabilities out of the classroom. The new policy has some unmistakable fingerprints from The Asia Foundation’s Coalitions for Change. 

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Bianca Lapuz (00:03):

There isn't anymore, a convenient excuse to say, for instance, eh, public schools are accessible. There's a policy, this is something that you have to do. This is how you can get children with disabilities in our public schools. You know, let's do it.

John Rieger (00:17):

A big step forward for disability law in the Philippines. Today on In Asia, from the Asia foundation, I'm John Rieger

Tracie Yang (00:24):

And I'm Tracie Yang, a comprehensive new policy from the Philippines department of education is set to start dismantling the often overlooked barriers that keep students with disabilities out of the classroom. The new policy, issued on November 2nd has some unmistakable fingerprints from our own Coalitions For Change.

John Rieger (00:42):

Here now to tell us more, are Regina Pasion of Coalitions For Change, and Bianca Lapuz, from our coalition partner, Advocates Of Inclusion, and a note we're taping this show on December 3rd, which is the UN's international day of persons with disabilities. Regina and Bianca, welcome to In Asia.

Regina Pasion (00:58):

Thank you so much, John.

Bianca Lapuz (01:01):

Thank you so much for having us.

Tracie Yang (01:01):

Great to have you guys.

John Rieger (01:02):

Regina, we always like talking about Coalitions For Change projects because they're such an interesting blend of development initiatives and political savvy. This week you brought us a tale of a new landmark policy in the Philippines to address the needs of K12 students with disabilities. So tell us first, what is the state disability law generally in the Philippines?

Regina Pasion (01:24):

In 1991, we passed the Magna Carta for Persons With Disabilities. That was 30 years ago, and it was actually that time a bit pioneering. The accessibility law was passed in 1992, and very recently in 2008, the Philippines was signatory to the UN convention further Rights Of Persons With Disabilities. So the basis are covered.

Tracie Yang (01:53):

Then a legal framework has been in place, and yet you write in this week's blog that quote, "despite a favorable policy environment for people with disabilities, no discernible improvement in the last decade can be directly attributed to the efforts of the government." Why? What are the obstacles here?

Regina Pasion (02:12):

So we, the foundation recently supported the research just to see how has it been since the signing of the UN convention in 2008. That's one of the findings that we've had here, you're precisely right, that despite a good policy environment, there hasn't been a good improvement for the lives of the disability sector in the Philippines. We found it's because of the implementation, it's operationalizing it and institutionalizing it within the agencies.

John Rieger (02:41):

So let's talk specifically about the schools. Bianca Lapuz of Advocates of Inclusion. You have used a wheelchair for mobility since childhood, what did your research tell you about accessibility in the schools today?

Bianca Lapuz (02:54):

We conducted several focus group discussions where we interviewed children with disabilities and their families. There were instances when parents of the children with disabilities would opt to drop their children from school because the school would not yield to their accessibility requests.

Bianca Lapuz (03:20):

For instance, one student, he used to go to a ground floor classroom, but when he reached a certain year level, the school moved his classroom to the topmost floor of the school building, which did not have access for wheelchairs. There were even cases when the comfort rooms also would not fit or allow a wheelchair user to enter through the door.

John Rieger (03:48):

By comfort rooms, you mean lavatories?

Bianca Lapuz (03:49):

Yeah.

John Rieger (03:50):

So the new policy which came out on November 2nd is, it's got a long name, Policy Guidelines on the Provision of Educational Programs and Services For Learners With Disabilities in the K to 12 Basic Education Program. Coalitions For Change was able to make its concerns heard and actually contribute to improving the new legislation. What do you think was CFCs biggest contribution to this policy?

Regina Pasion (04:19):

I think our biggest contribution to that policy was the infrastructure of the school buildings for the learning environment.

John Rieger (04:24):

I'll say more about that.

Regina Pasion (04:25):

During our discussions with the department of education. When we talked about accessibility, one of the things that they were telling us is, what does it mean aside from ramps?

Regina Pasion (04:38):

It was an issue of spelling out what these features were. Even if it was included in the accessibility law, perhaps they just needed to be reminded. So we listed out for them that when you say accessibility, it means that the school building will be accessible for visually impaired, hearing impaired or people with mobility issues. This include features such as ramps, accessible toilets, even the basic door knobs that it's not the turn doorknob, but it's actually a lever door knob, stuff like that.

John Rieger (05:17):

Yeah.

Regina Pasion (05:18):

It's very simple, right?

Tracie Yang (05:20):

Yeah, stuff sometimes you don't think about.

Regina Pasion (05:21):

You don't think about it when you go to the toilet, you just open the door, but for a person with disability, these things matter.

Bianca Lapuz (05:27):

There were so many policies already that exist. When you try to make sense of how all of these laws will apply to the department of education. You need a grant policy that will tell teachers, tell school principals, just exactly how they will provide the services to children with disabilities.

Bianca Lapuz (05:52):

There isn't anymore a convenient excuse to say, for instance, eh, public schools are accessible. So there's a policy by step a that you can actually show to the public school principal or a teacher or whoever and tell them that this is something that you have to do. This is how you can do it, how you can get children with disabilities in our public schools. Lets do it. There's a clear weapon, I wouldn't say weapon because you know that -

John Rieger (06:21):

A tool.

Bianca Lapuz (06:22):

There's a tool that empowers now.

Regina Pasion (06:25):

We were very also particular with working with the department of education, precisely because school buildings are also used as polling places and that sometimes there used as evacuation centers. So if you make schools accessible, you're hitting three aspects of their lives. You're hitting their education, you're hitting their safety and you're hitting their civic participation or their ability to participate in civic life.

John Rieger (06:51):

Really you kill three birds with one stone there, school access, emergency safety, and civic participation.

Regina Pasion (06:56):

That is the hope.

John Rieger (06:58):

Tracy.

Tracie Yang (07:00):

We've been talking about the schools, but you think that this new policy will have an impact on disability access in other sectors as well. Is that correct?

Bianca Lapuz (07:10):

Yeah, I think we've been pressuring for instance, well, not pressuring, maybe perhaps -

Tracie Yang (07:19):

Lobbying.

Bianca Lapuz (07:21):

Lobbying, really pushing for... It's gently nudging the agencies. For instance, when we would talk to the department of public works in highways, they would say all of the public schools should be accessible because based on our plans they are made to be accessible. For instance, what if the public school that you are building did not have enough land accessible facilities entail more space. This is a reason why a lot of the schools remain inaccessible because compliance with accessibility law is very minimum. Yes, we are hoping to influence other sectors because to make public school successful, will not only take the changing of mindset within that ed, but also department of public works and highways, which is agency mandated to do the construction of all the public schools.

John Rieger (08:25):

Well, this is where you get into the area that makes Coalitions For Change so fascinating to me. Bureaucrats and government policy makers, as a tribe, aren't always sympathetic to the clamor of outside voices. How is CFC able to be so effective? How do you get the governments here? Do you have like a secret? Is it a magic wand? Does it have a secret knock?

Tracie Yang (08:48):

Secret line? [crosstalk 00:08:50] Telephone line.

Regina Pasion (08:50):

Well, of course, if we have a secret, we won't be able to say that, because it won't be a secret. No, I am just kidding. I think for this particular policy, it was important to us to recognize that it was doing the right thing. Then we just put forward that you might be missing something fundamental. When you approach it that way, that you congratulate them, because it is hard. It is a very complex issue, but the legal frameworks are there. A bit of reminding, a bit of nudging, a bit of conversing with them and having a dialogue.

Tracie Yang (09:26):

Regina Pasion and Bianca Lapuz. Thanks for joining us.

Regina Pasion (09:30):

Thank you so much Tracie, John, I had a great chat with you guys.

Bianca Lapuz (09:34):

Me as well. Thank you so much.

Regina Pasion (09:36):

Oh, oh yeah. Happy international day for persons with disability, [inaudible 00:09:41] Philippians December 3rd.

Tracie Yang (09:43):

And that's our podcast. Regina has a thoughtful essay about persons with disabilities and disability law in the Philippines in this week's blog. It's well worth a look.

John Rieger (09:53):

We said it before, but we'll say it again. Take a minute and subscribe to our podcast while you're there, or just search for In Asia, one word, on the inner tubes.

Tracie Yang (10:01):

Until next time, I'm Tracie Yang.

John Rieger (10:03):

And I'm John Rieger.

Tracie Yang (10:04):

Thanks for listening.