Executive Order No. 437
MALACAÑANG, Manila
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 437
ENCOURAGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION (CBR) FOR PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
WHEREAS, Section 11, Article XIII, of the 1987 Constitution, declares that “the State shall adopt an
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential
goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be
priority for the needs of the under-privileged sick, elderly, disabled, women and children. The State shall
endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers”;
WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Drabled Persons, expressly
provides that “people with disabilities shall be given rehabilitation, opportunities for self-development
and self-reliance to prepare them for full integration into the mainstream of society”;
WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 8425, otherwise known as the Social Reform Act Provides for the povertyalleviation of the basic sectors, including persons with disabilities;
WHEREAS, the Biwako Millenium Framework which promotes a righ-based, barrier-free and inclusive
society for persons with disabilities is supported by Proclamation No. 240 “Declaring the period 20032012 as the Philippine Decade of Persons with Disabilities”;
WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 7160 known as the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates the
devolution of services to the local government units (LGUs);
WHEREAS, there is a need at the community level for an effective approach in providing comprehensive
rehabilitation services and in promoting the rights and empowerment of person with disabilities;
WHEREAS, the Community-Based approach has been successfully demonstrated as an appropriate way
of providing comprehensive rehabilitation services to person with disabilities nationwide.
NOW, THEREFORE, I GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by
virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
SECTION 1. All Local Government Units (LGU) are hereby encouraged to:
Adopt the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program in delivering services to their constituents
with disabilities and to allocate funds to support the program. Designate a unit under the office of the
local executive to be responsible for the implementation of the Community-Based Rehabilitation
program in accordance with the police and implementing guidelines set by the National Council for the
Welfare of Disabled Persons to include the promotion and capability building of
SECTION 2. The concerned national government agencies shall provide support to LGUs for the effective
and sustained implementation of CBR.