Categories
Awards and Recognitions News

Sites feature PWAG President’s Quote

The Accessibility of Nottingham in the UK, Accessibility for Noobs, the US Bureau of Reclamation, and Access2Digital of UK have featured the quote of PWAG President’ Remberto Esposa Jr in their previous posts.

Screenshot of Quote of the week from Accessibility Nottingham

“I’m not sure how they got my quote. But I have a hunch that they were searching for popular “access to the web” or “web accessibility” quotes from the collection which I posted on the Philippine Web Accessibility Group Official Website.”, explains Esposa from his official blog site. Although PWAG has been inactive ever since the Philippine government adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guideline 2.0 in 2017, the site is still maintained as a repository of resources on web accessibility.

Here are the screenshots of their web and tweet posts including the live links:

Screenshot of Accessibility Nottingham of UK wherein it was presented as quote of the week.
Accessibility of Nottingham, UK
https://www.accessibilitynottingham.co.uk/thank-you-for-attending-accessibility-nottingham-4/
Screenshot of Accessibility for Noobs wherein the quote was posted in their front page.
Accessibility for Noobs
https://accessibilityfornoobs.wordpress.com/
Screenshot of a page from US Bureau of Reclamation Magazine quoting Esposa.
US Bureau of Reclamation Magazine Summer 2012
https://www.usbr.gov/gp/multimedia/publications/hcpt_summer_2012.pdf
Tweet posted as a quote in August 15, 2017 by Access2digital
Open Access Tech
https://twitter.com/Access2Digital_/status/897412738389090304
Tweet mention from Hey Nova Inclusive Design company of British Columbia
Hey Nova Inclusive Design Company of British Columbia
https://twitter.com/heynovaio/status/1416473078830350336

Esposa ended his blog post by thanking the site owners. “The quote dates may be old, but all of this is new information to me. So again, to the respective owners of the websites, thank you very very much! Cheers!!!”, was his message to them.

Categories
Accessible Websites Meetings Philippine Laws on Accessibility

DICT conducts consultation meeting on Memo Circular No. 4

Participants from DICT, National Council on Disability Affairs and other NGOs including PWAG
Participants from DICT, National Council on Disability Affairs and other NGOs including PWAG

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) held its first assessment meeting about the status of implementation of the Web Accessibility Memo Circular No. 4 last September 13, 2019 at DICT Seminar Room.

Presiding over the meeting is Dir. Philip Varilla, Information Bureau Chief of DICT. He requested for the said meeting upon the orders of the Office of the President as an offshoot of the First Accessibility Summit held recently. Among those from the government who attended include the National Council on Disability Affairs led by TCD Chief Dandy Victa, representatives from the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and attached agencies of DICT.  PWAG President Jojo Esposa Jr. and ATRIEV President Tony Llanes participated as part of the non-government organizations.

Web Accessibility Presentation
Web Accessibility Presentation

Ms. Jing Sara of DICT presented the current status of web accessibility compliance among government websites that are hosted by the Government Web Hosting Service (GWHS). She regretfully informed the group that the government still has zero (0) compliance as per WCAG 2.0 guidelines based on the 2018 web audit report.

Part of Presentation Showing Zero Compliance Among Government Websites
Part of Presentation Showing Zero Compliance Among Government Websites

For his part, Mr. Esposa requested the group to clarify the role of PWAG and ATRIEV in the government’s web accessibility agenda.

The group also discussed the sustainable development goal of web accessibility and guidelines in uploading files. They also requested the DICT o come up with a sustainability plan for the implementation of Memo Circular No. 4 such as adding it as a part of issuing Seal of Local Governance, Government Transparency Seal and giving awards and recognition to compliant websites.

DICT Memo Circular was signed on May 12, 2017.

Categories
Seminars and Workshops

Pangasinan SWDO Conducts Web Accessibility Training for Women

Participants and Resource Persons in a Class Photo after the training
Participants and Resource Persons in a Class Photo after the training

The Department of Information and Communications Technology in coordination with the Pangasinan Social Welfare Division Office and the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center 1 – Department of Social Welfare and Development (AVRC1-DSWD) conducts its web accessibility training on women with disabilities of Pangasinan.

The aim of the training is “to come up with a pool of Web Accessibility Experts in Region I who could help in making or developing accessible websites in the Ilocos Region.” The participants who attended came from the attached agencies of DSWD in Ilocos Region (Region I), Women with Disabilities leaders as well as representatives from the MIS divisions of the local municipalities and cities of Pangasinan.

Topics that were discussed are the laws pertaining to accessibility with focus on Memo Circular No. 4-2017 implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. The participants were also able to learn how to install the WordPress Content Management System using iGov’s web template.

Sir Jojo explains about web accessibility testing.
Sir Jojo explains about web accessibility testing.

PWAG President Jojo Esposa Jr. lectured about user web accessibility testing as well as PWAG’s Web Design Accessibility Recommendation (WDAR) in harmony with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.

Their output is designing a WordPress CMS site which is both accessible and aesthetically pleasing. The activity was held at the President’s Hotel in Lingayen, Pangasinan from November 27 to December 1, 2017.

Categories
Philippine Laws on Accessibility Resources

Philippines Adopt WCAG 2.0

Snapshot of the First Page of DICT Memo Circular No. 4
The Philippines now prescribes the Web Content Accessibility Guideline No. 2 as the “PHILIPPINE STANDARD FOR MAKING WEB CONTENT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO A WIDER RANGE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES”.

In a Memorandum Circular No. 4 issued by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), all heads of the departments, bureaus, offices and other agencies of the National Government, including constitution commissions, congress, the judiciary, office of the ombudsman, state universities and colleges, government financial institutions, government-own or -controlled corporations, local government units and all other concerned must comply with the Philippine Web Accessibility Policy using the international standard.

The Memo Circular was signed by DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima on June 9, 2017.

You may view the original Memo Circular from the DICT Official Website on this link in downloadable PDF format of a digital image.

You may also download the Memo Circular in MS Word Docx format here.

Another format in Memo Circular in text format here.

Categories
Issues and News Items on Disabilities News

Paving the Way for Universal Design and Web Accessibility for PWD’s*

Video created by Vera Files are shown in the writeshop.
Writeshop Web Accessibility Video

Manila, PH — A Policy Development Writeshop on Accessible ICT for Persons with Disabilities (PWD’s) was conducted at the Mimosa Leisure Estate, Clark Pampanga from February 9-11, 2016. The event brought about the collaborative efforts of members of the Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICTO) and the National Council for Disability Affairs (NCDA).

The result of the three-day workshop is an initial draft of a Joint Memorandum Circular with an overarching theme of Universal Design, where products, services, and facilities can be used by virtually everyone, regardless of the level of ability or disability. This Joint Memorandum Circular is to be signed by heads of the DOST-ICTO and NCDA, and implemented in all Government Agencies, Constitutional Offices, Local Government Units (LGUs), Government Owned And Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Government Financial Institutions (GFIs), State Universities And Colleges (SUCs), Philippine Embassies and other Philippine Offices Abroad.

As part of the Philippine Digital Strategy’s thrust of Investing in People through providing Digital Literacy For All, the literacy and competency needs of special sectors, including PWD’s need to be addressed. It was through the Policy Development Writeshop that participating PWD groups, including Resources for the Blind (RBI), Philippine Web Accessibility Group (PWAG) and Manila Christian Institute for the Deaf (MCCID) were able to provide the current state and context of PWDs’ access to ICT in the Philippines. By sharing their experiences as well as their major challenges, the participants were able to draw the main issues that ought to be addressed in the Joint Memorandum Circular.

To target each issue efficiently, participants were grouped into five, each addressing the specific issue/s attributed to PWD’s accessibility to ICT. The participants answered to issues regarding health and data, education, transport and infrastructure, telecommunications, and employment.

Through focus group discussions, participants from both the ICT industry as well as the PWD’s were able to share their own insights and create the foundation for the Joint Memorandum Circular, in reference to existing laws and policies. Following the workshop is an initial discussion, followed by a series of online and face-to-face consultations with various disability groups.

* Copied News Article from the Department of Information and Communications Technology Official Website Posted on February 2016
Paving the Way for Universal Design and Web Accessibility for PWD’s
** Copied News Article from Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf College of Technology Official Website Posted on February 2016
MCCID Deaf Teacher Lectures in ICT Writeshop

Categories
Uncategorized

Government conducts 3-day web accessibility workshop

The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) conducted a 3-day web accessibility training from August 24 – 26 at the DOST-ICT Office in UP Diliman, Quezon City specifically aimed at increasing the awareness of the national government agencies which compose its council members.

Government agency web developers together with lecturers

Web accessibility workshop is conducted at DOST-ICT Office Main Training Room.

The thirteen member of NCDA Board is composed of the following government agencies which includes the Department of Social Welfare and Development as its attached agency, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DedED), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

However, only representatives of DSWD, DOST, DepED, TESDA, DOTC, attached agencies of DOLE like Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) and Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) and DTI attended.

The web accessibility workshop was in partnership with the DOST- Information and Communications Technology Office through its Deputy Executive Director Ms. Bettina Quimson.

Stephanie “Steph” S. Azarias, Component Team Leader Government Web Hosting Service announces the upcoming modifications including accessibility features.

Ms. Angelita “Merce” Nicolas, Team Leader, Social Mobilization and Institutional Cooperation of DOST-ICTO and the concurrent chairperson of NCDA Sub-committee on ICT invited technical development team of the Integrated Government Philippines Project (i-Gov Phil) to further integrate web accessibility in the government's Unified Web Template. She emphasized the government's commitment in making all the information barrier free and unhampered access including those with physical disabilities.

For his part, NCDA Assistant Technical Cooperation Division Chief Dandy Victa spoke about the Philippine Disability Inclusive ICT Policies. He also reminded the concerned government agencies to fulfill their obligation of adhering to the international laws and treaties with which the Philippines signed and ratified, the highest of which is the UN – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). According to him, the government has sponsored numerous web accessibility training and workshops since 2005. Unfortunately, very few agencies were able to comply with their commitments.

Asst. TCD Chief Dandy Victa explains about inclusive ICT Policies in the Philippines.

Reasonable accommodations needed by PWDs on matters of information technology were discussed on the first day of training. Ms. Carol Catacutan of ATRIEV School for the Blind lectured on the assistive technologies used by the visually impaired in accessing the web. Mr. Jojo Esposa Jr., Training Director of Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf explained about how deaf and hard-of-hearing persons use the internet while Ms. Virginia Rabino, a disability rights advocate centers on the access barriers of those with mobility impairments.

PWAG President Jojo Esposa conducts the web accessibility workshop.

The second day focused on introduction to accessible ICT, how PWDs access the information, brief history of web accessibility initiatives in the Philippines and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium. On the third day, the Web Design Accessibility Recommendation Checkpoints of PWAG was individually discussed as well as suggested online validation tools and links. Current government websites of participants were also analyzed, evaluated and given recommendations based on the the Philippine guidelines. PWAG President Jojo Esposa Jr. conducted the training.

Leaders of participating agencies gave their respective action plans at the end of the workshop.

Categories
Uncategorized

List of Philippine Sites with web accessibility features

Even though PWAG took a semi-hiatus in doing accessibility validation and monitoring of websites, a notable number of organizations took their own initiatives in making their sites accessible.

collage of two sample accessible Philippine sites

Google Search reveals that 11 government agencies as well as eight private companies claimed that they placed accessible features on their sites. Although they are not yet officially validated as accessible using PWAG’s Web Design Accessibility Recommendations (WDAR), still a quick glance on their sites show marked compliance.

As per July 2015, the partial list of sites using their Accessibility Statement Pages as links are as follows:

For Philippine National Government Sites:

  1. Bureau of Intenal Revenue
  2. Commission on Higher Education
  3. Department of Science and Technology
  4. Department of Foreign Affairs
  5. Department of Trade and Industry
  6. East Avenue Medical Center
  7. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
  8. National Commission for Culture and Arts
  9. National Water Resources Development Board
  10. Philippine National Police
  11. Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor

For private companies using .com.ph domain:

  1. DHL Philippines
  2. Hitachi Philippines
  3. LaFarge Republic Cement
  4. Nestle Philippines
  5. Sanofi Philippines
  6. Shell Philippines
  7. Starbucks Philippines
  8. Unilever Philippines

It is noted that majority of listed government sites are using the Unified Government Web Template as prescribed by the Integrated Government Philippines Project of the DOST-Information and Communications Technology Office. This is in compliance with Administrative Order 39 mandating all government agencies to migrate to the government web hosting service and follow the Philippine Uniform Website Content Policy.

As for the private firms, nearly all of them are multinational corporations which comply with the international standards in designing websites. Their Philippine sites are just one of the branches of their worldwide subsidiaries. Only LaFarge Cement is the Philippine owned company.

The list was compiled based on Google Search using the keywords “web accessibility Philippines” and “web accessibility .ph sites”. As per PWAG’s records, the last time it officially validated site’s accessibility was in 2013.

Categories
Uncategorized

Presidential Office commits to accessibility of all government websites

The Philippine government thru the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) committed to incorporate web accessibility features in the future releases of their website templates.

Director Cuevas explains their proposed steps in government web template accessibility.
PCDSPO Director Jonathan Cuevas explains their proposed steps in making the government web template accessible.

The promise was made by PCDSPO Director IV Jonathan F. Cuevas during a meeting held at their office at Malacanan Palace in Manila last May 6. He stressed that the end goal for all government websites is to be accessible to everybody including those with physical disabilities.

Jojo Esposa introduces PWAG to the group.
Jojo Esposa introduces PWAG to the group.

For his part, PWAG President Jojo Esposa introduced the web accessibility group to the government team. He also explained the recommended web accessibility guidelines that PWAG developed as well as tips on how to comply with them through its official website.

Director Cuevas reiterated the government’s focus of increase in Philippines ranking on UN ASPA in terms of e-government. He also stressed that by making the Official Journal of the Republic first conform with web accessibility standards, it will then cascade down to other websites of the government.

He points out the steps his office would like to follow which includes; setting up official meetings in Malacanan, goals will be set and will be implemented within the next few months to become compliant, and use that as a model to be used by the rest of the government’s websites.

Aside from PWAG, Sir Tony Llanes, President of ATRIEV represented the visually impaired sector. He explained about the barriers a blind person experienced in accessing websites. He also promised to assist in testing the accessibility of government website template and monitoring its compliance.

The deaf sector was represented by MCCID Deaf Coordinator Ervin Reyes. He is also a PWAG Founding member, a web accessibility trainor, a international champion in web designing and a manages a web design firm Mark 7:37 Design and Printing Services.

PWAG and ATRIEV representatives pose on the sides of PCDSPO tarpaulin.
PWAG and ATRIEV representatives

As regards certifying web accessibility compliance of the government website, Director Cuevas suggested that it should be the government body through the National Council on Disability Affairs that is tasked to provide the seal of accessibility and not any non-government organization. Both PWAG and ATRIEV representatives agreed with his suggestion.

Aside from Cuevas, other government members who attended the meeting include Ms. Camille Rose B. Dufourt, Project Coordinator and Mr. Pocholo Goitia, Managing Editor of the Official Gazette.