Philippine Laws Supporting Web Accessibility, an Overview By Jojo I. Esposa Jr. Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf (MCCID) & Philippine Web Accessibility Group (PWAG)

What is web accessibility? PWAG defines Web Accessibility as “making your web site accessible to anyone using the Internet including persons with disabilities.”

Who are the Persons with Disabilities (PWD)? Deaf persons who cannot hear important news announcements on TV without closed captions and audio outputs on the Internet; Blind users who cannot read Internet pages without a special program called screen reader, they also cannot read printed forms; Poor eyesight users who need to control the size of texts; Color blind users who cannot distinguish red from green, and blue from yellow;

Mobility impaired users who cannot control their hands, thus cannot use the mouse; Dyslexic/dyscalculic users who have difficulty grasping information and are easily confused; Epileptic users who need to avoid seeing flickering or flashing objects; Senior citizen users who acquire disabilities as they progress their age and may be deprived of the same situation as others. Who are the Persons with Disabilities (PWD)?

What’s in it for me? How many disabled people reads websites? How many senior citizens read websites? Am I liable, or can I be jailed or penalized if I don’t make my site accessible?

How many are PWDs in the Philippines? 942,098 PWD as per 2000 census

“Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons” (RA 7277) – March 24, 1992 Section 4: Definition of Terms (a) It defines Disabled Persons as those suffering from restriction, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being; (p) It also defines commerce as… communication among the provinces or between any foreign country or any territory or possession

TITLE THREE - PROHIBITION ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DISABLED PERSONS SECTION 36: Discrimination on the Use of Public Accommodations. – (a) No disabled persons shall be discriminated on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations… (2) A failure to make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures, when such modifications are necessary to afford such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities... “Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons” (RA 7277) – March 24, 1992

Although it is not deliberately stated, using the Internet and accessing information from it can also be interpreted as a public service and falls under the assistive technologies. Since the World Wide Web is designed to be accessed by everyone (public accommodation), preventing others to use it by putting barriers can be a cause for discrimination. Penalty? 1st violation = P50T – P100T fine or 6 months – 2 years imprisonment “Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons” (RA 7277)

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNCRPD) Fastest Treaty ever deliberated and adopted into law by the United Nations (4 years) It follows the Biwako Millennium Regional Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights- Based Society for PWDs in Asia and the Pacific (2002) Adopted into law by UN General Assembly on December 13,2006 Philippines is 27 th country that signed ( ) and ratified it ( ) As of October, 136 countries already signed with only 20 countries are needed to have it adopted to all UN member countries. Philippines contributed significantly on Article 9 (Accessibility Provision)

Article 9 – Accessibility To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall… (g) Promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communications technologies and systems, including the Internet; (h) Promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and systems become accessible at minimum cost. UN CRPD Significance

Philippine Web Accessibility Group (PWAG) Formed in 2006 out of series of regional workshops which started in Registered under SEC in Tasked to implement Manila ICT Design Recommendations and added Web Design Accessibility Recommendations (Maturity Stages) In tripartite with National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and National Computer Center (NCC-CICT) in drafting an Executive Order from Philippine President to evaluate, monitor and assist web accessibility compliance of all government websites in accordance with UNCRPD law Promote web accessibility in private websites.

Maraming salamat po! “Web Accessibility is not only for people with disabilities but for all of us who are thankful that there are no barriers in using our abilities.”