The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is taking a significant leap towards inclusive governance with the launch of its comprehensive guidelines on hiring persons with disabilities. The initiative coincides with the observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities this Wednesday.
A Progressive and Institutionalized Policy
At the heart of this move is Administrative Order (AO) No. 11, which was officially signed by Secretary Rex Gatchalian on November 10. The order mandates that a minimum of one percent of all regular and non-regular positions within both the DSWD Central Office and its Field Offices must be reserved for qualified persons with disabilities.
In a strong statement, Secretary Gatchalian described AO 11 as the department's "most progressive inclusion plan" for employment. "We mean what we do," Gatchalian emphasized. "This is why we institutionalized the hiring of persons with disabilities and created a progressive and comprehensive policy when it comes to employing persons with disabilities."
Changing Attitudes and Ensuring Fairness
The core objective of the policy is to transform societal and institutional attitudes towards disability in the workplace. Gatchalian stressed that the DSWD aims to look at the abilities of applicants, not their disability. "We include them in the ring and even carve out plantilla or permanent positions for them," he stated, underscoring the commitment to providing equal chances for employment within the department.
Furthermore, the DSWD intends to act as a catalyst for broader change. Gatchalian revealed his ambition for the department to serve as a "disruptor," lobbying with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to adopt the provisions of AO 11 as a mandatory national policy for all government departments.
Compliance and Concrete Implementation Measures
In a separate explanation, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao outlined that the policy fulfills both national and international laws on equal employment opportunity. It is designed to address persistent gaps in hiring practices and directs all human resource units to ensure fair recruitment processes.
"As part of the DSWD’s mandate, we need to ensure that all qualified individuals, including persons with disability, have equal opportunity to enter public service or any job," Dumlao said in a mix of English and Filipino. "Inclusivity will not happen by chance, that’s why we came up with clear guidelines to ensure that every office actively supports equal employment."
She added that the order is about recognizing the capacity and dignity of people with disabilities and ensuring government workplaces are safe, accessible, and supportive, calling it a "big step" for enabling more persons with disabilities to contribute to nation-building.
The administrative order is grounded in Republic Act No. 10524, which expands positions reserved for persons with disability, amending the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability. Key implementation mechanisms include:
- Continuous coordination with the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).
- Collaboration with community partners for sourcing applicants.
- Creation of internship programs and establishment of employee support groups.
- Strengthening of inclusive occupational safety protocols.
To ensure accountability and continuous improvement, AO 11 instructs HR units to maintain updated data on employees with disabilities and to closely monitor compliance with the 1% quota. These measures are expected to guide necessary policy refinements across all DSWD offices nationwide.
