NDPR DAY 3- ENTREPRENEURSHIP APPRECIATION COURSE FOR PWD

" Do not mix your personal needs and money with your business." This is the message of Captain Oscar Taleon, President of AKAPPinoy and Co-Chair of the National Working Group of NDPR Week Celebration, to the participants of the Entrepreneurship Appreciation Course for Persons With Disabilities held at the Occupational Safety and Health Center. The activity was organized by the Capacity Building and Resource Mobilization Committee of the Inter-agency Network on PWD Economic Development and Empowerment(PWeDe) chaired by Carmen Zubiaga of WOWLEAP,  with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment as Co-Vice Chairs. The National Council on Disability Affairs co-sponsored the activity with DOLE and OSHC. 


Ms. Marilyn Nicolas of DOLE developed the module and led the team of trained facilitators in administering the one day course. About 80 participants who came from about 10 organizations, benefited from the one day course which gave them ideas of how to start a small business or improve an existing one, either as individual or as a group. The participatory exercise proved to be effective considering the different levels of education of the participants. The course is a prelude to the planned activities of the PWEDE Committee on Capacity Building and Resource Mobilization which aims to assist PWDs in establishing social enterprises. The Foundation of These Abled Inc (FTI) spearheaded the formation of PWEDE and serves as the secretariat of the network. FTI is the social responsibility arm of the National Federation of Cooperatives of Persons With Disabilities.

The Women With Disabilities LEap to SOcial and Economic Progress (WOWLEAP) identified and invited participants from Rizal and the National Capital Region. The following organizations sent participants:  Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Independent Living and Learning Center of Mandaluyong, Las Pinas Federation of Persons With Disabilities, Valenzuela Federation of Persons With Disabilities, National Vocational Rehabilitation Center, Cerebral Palsied Association of the Philippines (CPAP), CBR Coordinating Office, Jehovah Witnesses Deaf Ministry and  2 individual participants with disabilities.

DAY 2-NDPR WEEK- THE FIRST AIR TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY FORUM

Retired General Boots Bautista, Chief Operating Officer of  Manila International Airport Authority, welcomed all guests and participants of the First Air Transport Accessibility Forum held at the Viewing Gallery of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport held on July 18, 2011. Gen. Bautista willingly gave his mobile number and encouraged everyone to inform him if they would encounter any problem in their turf and assured that he will do his best to respond to all calls. It was an opportunity that everyone welcomed made the audience confident, especially the persons with disabilities present during the forum, who felt that another ally was won. The cheerful retired general obviously won the hearts of everyone.

The air transport forum is a dream come true for the Task Force on Accessibility of the Department of Transport and Communication led by Architect Rizal Morales. In the midst of issues of passengers with disabilities being denied of their rights in air transport, particularly the case of 10 deaf passengers denied to board the Cebu Pacific flight going to Boracay and the two children with autism from Hong Kong, DOTC Accessibility Team succeeded in bringing together some stakeholders of the air transport sectors to a forum to sensitize them on the rights of persons with disabilities and their needs to be accommodated in air transport without discrimination.

Former Isabela Governor and Kaya Natin Movement advocate Grace Padaca shared her personal experiences as a person with disability surviving the life of being a student struggling to go places with inaccessible transport and triumphed in the end with a degree in Accounting with the love and support from her family which she cited was the most important for the life of a PWD to succeed.

Engr. Bien Mateo of SM Supermalls Disability Affairs Program presented the SM Cares Videos which inspired  and touched everyone on this giant business' initiatives to give A SPECIAL PLACE FOR persons with disabilities as the heart of their customer service.

Mr. Noli Agcaoili, Chairperson of AKAPPINOY challenged the Civil Aeronautics Board to make a policy pronouncement on air transport accessibility by issuing an administrative order. Lets hope that this challenge will not fall on deaf ears, or we will teach them SIGN LANGUAGE (is this a joke?)

Sensitivity Training followed with presentations from Engr. Centeno of DPWH Region 3, Archt. Jaime Silva of UAAP on sensitivity to people with visual impairment, Carmen Zubiaga of WOWLEAP on the Rights of Passengers with Disabilities, Charito Manglapus of CPAP on sensitivity to people with cerebral palsy and other severe mobility disabilities and testimonies from Virgie Rabino of Leonard Cheshire Disability Philippines and Cromwell Taduran of Nova Foundation.

I forgot to tell everyone that Philippine Airlines is my favorite airline, which did not give me any problem every time I'm on board with them. It was good to see Sir Junji and Ms. Menchu Sarmiento among the participants and informed everyone that PAL really keep on doing their best to make their passengers feel comfortable during their flights. In the past four years of traveling with PAL, they never insist on signing a waiver for passengers with disabilities. At least, we have our own flag carrier to be proud of. Keep up the good work, PAL!

It was also nice to have our support group from Commission on Election headed by Sir TOny Villasor with Atty. Erwin and Ms. Rexie from the office of Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento. They really stayed for the whole day seminar.

I am also giving special acknowledgement to Ms. Guia, our Focal Person in MIAA for giving us a wonderful accommodation and of course, for coordinating the event.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DOTC TASK FORCE ON ACCESSIBILITY FOR A FORUM WELL DONE! 

by: Carmen Zubiaga (who happened to be there)

NDPR WEEK OPENS WITH A BIG FUN RUN!!!! SECRETARY SOLIMAN JOINS

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Engr. Bien Mateo of SM Supermalls, Fr. Robert Reyes and
Secretary Dinky Soliman of DSWD and Chairperson of NCDA
join the PARM MOVE Manila Fun RUN.

The Alyansa ng Maykapansanang Pinoy (AKAPPINOY) and the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (PARM) in coordination with the National Council on Disability Affairs opened the weeklong Celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week (July 17-23) with  PARM MOVE Manila, a FUN Run for all- PWDs and Non PWDs at the Quezon Memorial Circle this July 17 at 5:00am.  Secretary Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Chairperson of NCDA,  joined the opening of the celebration together with the Running Priest, Fr. Robert Reyes and Engr. Bien Mateo of SM Supermalls.  Persons with Disabilities from different organizations joined the fun run together with advocates, professionals and parents of children with disabilities and adults with developmental and learning disabilities.   The fun run is a fund raising project of PARM to support the programs of PWD organizations and individuals in need of capital for livelihood projects, medical support and other projects of PWDs. PARM is also the chair organization for this year's celebration. 

"ISAKATUPARAN ANG KARAPATAN NG PILIPINONG MAY KAPANSANAN"


(MAKING THE RIGHTS OF FILIPINOS WITH DISABILITIES 
REAL)












This year's theme, "ISAKATUPARAN ANG KARAPATAN NG PILIPINONG MAYKAPANSANAN" (MAKING THE RIGHTS OF FILIPINOS WITH DISABILITIES REAL), reflects the wish of the persons with disability sector for their rights to be recognized. The highlight of this years's celebration is the pronouncement of the COMMISSION ON ELECTION for a NATIONAL REGISTRATION OF VOTER'S WITH DISABILITIES in coordination with AKAPPINOY, the national federation of PWD organizations and advocates and SM Supermalls nationwide during the  week long celebration. AKAPPinoy member organizations in different parts of the country coordinated with their local COMELEC Offices for satellite registrations mostly at SM Mall branches. In National Capital Region, satellite registrations will be conducted in SM Megamall, North EDSA, SM Fairview, San Lazaro, Sta. Mesa, LAs Pinas and SM Taytay. Today, PWDs of Bacolod also opened their celebration and will conduct their satellite registration in SM Bacolod. The same thing will also take place in Visayas and Mindanao. COMELEC recently organized the Interagency Network of DPOs, NGOs and Government Agencies on PWD Empowerment in Political and Public Life in compliance with Article 29 0f the UNCRPD. COMELEC recently signed Resolution 9220, providing assistance to PWD voters during registration and election. 
There are many activities during the week organized by different organizations such as the Entrepreneurship Appreciation Course led by DOLE and WOWLEAP and some members of the PWD for Economic Development and Empowerment, Sensitivity Seminar for Air Transport Sector spearheaded by DOTC, K12 Forum led by CHED and Autism Society Philippines among others. Please refer to the list of activities