2020 Annual Report on the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines 41 a total of 16 cases. Of these 16 cases, four (4) were on discrimination (including noninclusion in the list of beneficiaries), three (3) were on illegal detention and arrest, three (3) were on rape and sexual abuse, two (2) were on harassment and maltreatment, and there was one (1) case each on child abuse, torture, defamation, and abandonment. Another case of discrimination was reported by CHR Region IX. 123 The International Disability Alliance (IDA) provided a summary of worldwide trends on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on the realization of human rights of persons with disabilities, as follows: (1) People with disabilities are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 due to barriers accessing preventive information and hygiene, reliance on physical contact with the environment or support persons, as well as respiratory conditions caused by certain impairments. (2) Implementing quarantines or similar restrictive programs may entail disruptions in services vital for many persons with disabilities and undermine basic rights such as food, health care, wash and sanitation, and communications, leading to abandonment, isolation, and institutionalization. (3) When ill with COVID-19, persons with disabilities may face additional barriers in seeking health care and experience discrimination and negligence by health care personnel. (4) Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), particularly at national and local levels, may not be prepared to take immediate action and may not be fully aware of how to approach the situation.173 124 Majority of persons with disabilities in the Philippines belong to poor families with minimum wage earners under the ‘no work, no pay’ scheme. They do not have enough money to stock up on basic food items, medicines, and other essentials, such as hygiene kits for women. Children with disabilities are also in situations of conflict, emergencies, and disasters, but it appears that they are the least protected. Existing services are designed broadly, and there is little or no customized approach in addressing the needs of sectors, such as women and children with disabilities, and for the different types of impairments.174 125 Relief goods provided by the government do not include hygiene and menstrual kits and there is the absence of provision for family planning and reproductive health services and commodities for women with disabilities175 126 During the current situation, the foremost clamor of persons with disabilities in the Philippines is to be adequately informed about the government response to the pandemic and the regulations, including advisories, to ensure the health and well-being of the people. It has been a challenge for the deaf community to obtain information through broadcast media when there are no insets for sign language interpretation and no sufficiently visible captions or subtitles of suitable text size.176 127 Another instance is emergency hotlines that would require the informant to report verbally, which is not accessible to the deaf community. Further, relief distribution during the enhanced community quarantine by LGUs to supply their constituencies with food and other necessities often overlook the needs of persons with disabilities.177 128 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) faced difficulties in accessing food supplies and other necessities. Most PWDs are in remote areas and live in shanties or makeshift houses, while those in accessible places are either renting or living with relatives. With the nature of their 173 Ibid. 174 See Aging and Disability Task Force. Aging and Disability Inclusive Response to COVID-19 Facebook post. 175 CHR (V) A2020-009. 176 See CHR (V) A2020-009. 177 Ibid.