CRPD/C/PHL/CO/1
United Nations
Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities
Distr.: General
16 October 2018
Original: English
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Concluding observations on the initial report of the
Philippines*
I. Introduction
1.
The Committee considered the initial report of the Philippines (CRPD/C/PHL/1 and
Corr.1) at its 419th and 420th meetings (CRPD/C/SR.419 and 420), held on 12 and 13
September 2018, respectively. It adopted the present concluding observations at its 428th
meeting, held on 19 September 2018.
2.
The Committee welcomes the initial report of the Philippines, which was prepared in
accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines, and thanks the State party for its
written replies (CRPD/PHL/Q/1/Add.1) to the list of issues prepared by the Committee
(CRPD/PHL/Q/1).
3.
The Committee appreciates the constructive dialogue with the State party’s highlevel delegation, which included representatives of the relevant government ministries and
departments. The Committee commends the delegation’s frank responses to the questions
that were posed by members of the Committee.
II. Positive aspects
4.
The Committee takes note that, according to the Constitution, the Convention is
considered part of the organic law of the State party, and therefore applicable to all
authorities; its provisions are invoked before the courts. It welcomes the measures taken by
the State party since the ratification of the Convention to develop a legislative and policy
framework for its implementation, including:
(a)
The adoption of Republic Act No. 10524 (2012), reserving 1 per cent of all
government positions for persons with disabilities;
(b)
The adoption of Republic Act No. 10700 (2009), establishing institutional
mechanisms for implementing programmes for persons with disabilities at the local level;
(c)
The establishment by local government units of offices for persons with
disabilities at the municipal, city and provincial levels.
5.
The Committee commends the State party for joining the Asia-Pacific region in
endorsing the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022, and for
being the first country in the western Pacific region to implement the World Health
Organization Model Disability Survey.
* Adopted by the Committee at its twentieth session (27 August–21 September 2018).
GE.18-17200(E)