ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo reprimanded the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) for saying that they do not agree with the proposed law that would oblige private companies to hire persons with disabilities (PWDs) as their employees.

Under the proposed House Bill 8941, which was filed by Rep. Tulfo and colleagues Reps. Edvic Yap, Jocelyn Tulfo, Eric Yap, Ralph Tulfo, and Wilbert Lee, two percent of a company with 1,000 employees should be PWDs; while one percent of workers for small businesses with 100 workers or less should be PWDs.

Tulfo also did not let slide the resource person from ECOP’s objection to the proposed law.

The ECOP representative had said, “Additional training, facilities, and equipment if a business is mandated to hire a PWD…therefore additional cost”.

“Yan ang lagi ninyong palusot. Additional training and facilities kaya dagdag gastos sa employer,” Tulfo said.

He added, “Siyempre mag-hire ka ng PWD na kakayanin niya ang trabaho. Example pwede mga may kapansasanan sa paglakad sa front desk o office o mga IT”.

“Bakit ka magha-hire ng PWD na hindi niya kaya? Kasalanan mo if kumuha ka ng PWD na hindi niya kaya ang trabaho dahil sa kanyang kapansanan”, added the House Deputy Majority Leader.

The lawmaker became more irritated when he learned from Rep. Alfelito Bascug, chairman of the Special Committee on Disabilities, that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) failed to attend the hearing despite being given an invitation.

“Wala silang binigay na dahilan kung bakit hindi sila nakadalo sa hearing natin ngayon,” Cong. Bascug said.

Bascug agreed with the suggestion of the other members of the committee, and would issue a subpoena against the CSC, for its officials to attend the next hearing.

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