Disability-inclusive elections: The experience in the Philippines

This thesis examined the experience of The Philippines in disability-inclusive elections. First, it contributed to understanding the policy process within the Commission on Elections and provided a valuable insight to the political economy of election management. Second, it made a case for the need to use the Social Inclusion lens as framework for analysis in understanding why certain groups are unable to benefit from the development of the society due to constraints surrounding or affecting their identity. The study focused on assessing the effectiveness of the Accessible Polling Place Law or Republic Act No. 10366 as the main policy that was enacted to resolve the problem of the inaccessibility of elections to Persons with Disabilities or PWDs. The thesis visited how stakeholders were involved in the decision-making process beginning from the inception of the law up to its implementation. Specific challenges encountered during the laws execution were looked into and recommendations were presented to address them. The study is the first iii formal evaluation of the APP and an update of accounts in regards efforts at making elections in the country truly inclusive