ASP Joins Training Workshop on CRPD Monitoring

By: Tiffany Tan, ASP Board Secretary

ASP was invited to a 4-day Free Training Workshop on the Monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) from February 24 to February 27, 2011 at the Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City.

The event was organized by The Katipunan ng Maykapansanan sa Pilipinas, Inc. (KAMPI), through the assistance of International Disability Alliance (IDA). The guest speaker and trainor for the event is Mr. Alexandre Cote, IDA’s Capacity Building Program Officer.

Mr. Alexander Cote, IDA's Capacity Building Program Officer

An estimated 650 million people worldwide live with a disability - the world’s largest and frequently overlooked minority group. With its network of global organizations of PWDs, International Disability Alliance (IDA) promotes the effective implementation of the UNCRPD. IDA is also committed to capacity building of PWD organizations, with the support for efforts toward ratification, implementation and monitoring of the CRPD.

As Philippines, has ratified the Convention in April 15, 2008; but has yet to ratify on the Optional Protocol; the training workshops aimed to seek common understanding on the (1) United Nations Human Rights System, (2) CRPD monitoring mechanisms, (3) needed content and process for the parallel report, (4) use of parallel report on Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs) broader advocacy work.

ASP, the only Family Support Group Organization who attended the said training workshop, was represented by Ranil Sorongon (ASP Executive Director), Marivic Ramos (ASP Laguna Chapter) and Tiffany Tan (Secretary-ASP National). They joined other 40 KAMPI members, represented by disability groups from LPPWDFI, Las Piñas City, G.U.I.D.E., Blind Youth Council of the Philippines Pasay City, Philippine Federation of the Deaf of Quezon City, WOW LEAP of Taytay, Rizal, CSWDO of Bislig City, AKAP-Pinoy, Punlaka Batangas, Zamboanga Peninsula Federation of PWDs, Bislig City Committee of Disability Affairs and Executive Director, Loving Presence Foundation, Inc., Phil. Association for Citizens with Developmental and Learning Disabilities (PACDLD), KAMPI, Region VI of Iloilo City, National Center for Mental Health, KAMPI, Region XI of Davao City, NVRC-DSWD, Leonard Cheshire Disability Philippines, Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Life Haven Inc., KAMPI of Region V, KAMPI of NCR, Quezon City Federation of PWDs & Braille Educators, National Vocation Rehabilitation Center and BBCY-KAMPI.

Special thanks to our friends in KAMPI and to ASP volunteers Ms. Bing David and Ihna Figueroa, KAMPI National Coordinator who both served as secretariat and documentors.