Balaba airs plan to access DOLE’s livelihood programs for PWDs

COUNCILOR Joyleen Mercedes Balaba, chair of the City Council committee on social services, on Monday, aired her intention to access livelihood programs for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In her special report during the regular session presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy, Councilor Balaba said the government is now engaging multi-sectoral stakeholders and facilitating their active participation to ease the impact of the pandemic.

“The whole-of-government approach is one strategy implemented by the national government to ease the impact of the pandemic. This approach ensures fast and efficient delivery of government services and provides assistance to the vulnerable sectors particularly those in the workforce,” she stressed.

“Last week one of our colleagues requested for the listing of our PWDS most affected and has been displaced due to the implementation of the community quarantine to the DSWD for relief assistance, this has been addressed,” she reported.

MOVING FORWARD

As also chair of the committee on labor and employment, Councilor Balaba expressed her desire to hold a dialogue among concerned stakeholders to address the needs of PWDs.

“Today, I wish to move forward… I seek your approval that I may be allowed to invite representatives of DOLE for a committee meeting with CSWDs Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) and the Blind and Deaf Association to discuss ways and hopefully facilitate more livelihood assistance for them,” Balaba cited.

“Our city’s efforts have been to prioritize the welfare of our PWDs most especially in these trying times,” she added.

Vice Mayor Uy referred the special report of Councilor Balaba to the committee on labor for further discussion.