A psycho-social d i s a b i l i t y o r i n t e l l e c t u a l disability, m a y affect t h e w a y people t h i n k , feel, o r process i n f o r m a t i o n . Regardless o f its characteristics, disability neither subtracts f r o m n o r adds t o a person's h u m a n i t y , value o r rights. I t is simply a feature o f a person. R e m o v i n g the right to vote o f a person w i t h disability serves n o policy goal. I n s u m m a r y , S t a t e s h a v e t h e o b l i g a t i o n t o respect, protect, and fulfill t h e r i g h t s o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n p o l i t i c a l a n d public life a n d decision-making m o r e generally w h e r e their interests are affected. U n d e r t h e C R P D , reservations incompatible w i t h the obiect a n d purpose o f the Convention shall n o t b e permitted.^3 Reservations m a y b e w i t h d r a w n a t a n y t i m e i 4 , h e n c e , t h e Commission on H u m a n Rights, o n the occasion of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l D a y of D i s a b i l i t i e s , celebrated this m o n t h of D e c e m b e r , m a k e s f o r m a l t h i s i s s u a n c e to urge the P h i l i p p i n e G o v e r n m e n t to W I T H D R A W its " r e s e r v a t i o n " to the U N r e s o l u t i o n o n the right to suffrage o f p e r s o n s w i t h psychosocial a n d intellectual disability. By signing the Convention i n 2 0 0 8 , the Philippine Government has made a c o m m i t m e n t t o follow the principles i nthe Convention. W h e n i t ratified t h e Convention, i t becomes a State Party t o that C o n v e n t i o n , w h i c h m e a n s t h a t i thas a legal obligation t o u p h o l d the rights t h e convention defines. Issued Philippines. this 1 4 * d a y o f December 2013, Quezon City, Chairperson MA. VICTORIA V. CARDONA CECILIA RACHEL V. QUISUMBING Commission^ Commissioner 13 14 Art, 46(1), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Art. 46(2), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 4