Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo said on Wednesday, Jan. 19, there should be a law that will provide the mechanism for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to participate in crafting policies that directly impact them.

“Sa akin, iyon ang (For me, that’s the) number one to make sure empowered para kung ano iyong pangangailangan nyo (so whatever you need) every step of the way hindi na kayo kailangan humingi kasi pagplano kasama na kayo (you don’t need to ask because you are part of the plan),” Robredo told supporters from the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Vice President held a virtual meet and greet with her NCR supporters. This is the third virtual sortie this week after meeting her supporters from Rizal and Laguna.

She identified that the problem with the current process is that sectors like PWDs need to ask local executives for the budget for the programs crafted for them when it should have been included at the onset.

“Pero kung meron sana kayong (But if you have) participation every step of the way hindi na ninyo kailangan humingi kasi iyong kinakailangan nyo tinugunan na step one pa lang (you don’t need to ask because what you need is being addressed since step one),” Robredo said.

She noted that the PWD sector has many needs that the government cannot address because it doesn’t care enough to know what’s happening on the ground.

The first problem is accessibility to perform tasks despite their disabilities.

READ: Robredo vows to empower Pinoys in governance under her presidency

“Di ba iyon ang gusto natin, na hindi naman tayo naghihintay ng grasya pero pinakagusto ng PWD sana walang diskriminasyon sa aming trabaho (Isn’t that what we want, we’re not waiting for grace but what PWD wants is not to be discriminated in our work)?,” she asked.

But that is impossible if leadership trickles from above and down below.

If these sectors have to ask for funding from their mayors and congressmen, they will feel indebted to them, the aspiring president noted.

“Kasi iyon ang nagbi-breed ng (That’s what breed) patronage, di ba (right)?,” she said.

Robredo is an advocate of participatory governance, where policies must come after consultations with the affected sectors.

The lady official also wants the same for gender equality and women empowerment.

READ: How to empower women? Robredo suggests a way

She is the author of the Empowerment Bill in the 16th Congress, and also heralded the establishment of the Robredo People’s Council which will provide a venue for people to air their concerns.

“Pag nagbaba kami ng programa na hindi namin nararamdaman iyong pinagdadaanan ng mga sektor, kadalasan iyong mga programang binababa namin hindi siya responsive sa pinakakinakailangan (When we create programs without considering what the sector is going through, most of the time the program that we created is not responsive to the needs),” Robredo said.

“So, sa atin iyon ‘yung (for me, that’s the) overarching principle, na sisiguraduhin natin kayo ay may boses (we will make sure that you have a voice) from start to finish,” she added.