ILOILO – In line with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week celebration, the Iloilo provincial government, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), recognized Most Persons with Disability (PWD)-Friendly and Inclusive Municipalities during a culminating activity at the provincial capitol lobby on Friday morning.
Six of the 42 towns and one component city were finalists: New Lucena, Leganes, Pototan, Guimbal, Miag-ao, and Tigbauan.
The Top 3 for the Search for Most Persons with PWD-Friendly and Inclusive Municipalities are the following:
* New Lucena – grand champion (received P50,000 and plaque of recognition)
* Leganes – first runner-up (received P30,000 and plaque of recognition)
* Pototan – second runner-up (received P20,000 and plaque of recognition)
Their awards were conferred by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) Regional Programs coordinator Delfina Jaleco-Baquir, PSWDO head Ma. Sarah M. Barayuga, and Social Welfare and Development Officer IV and focal person for PWDs of PSWDO Ann Rapunzel “Rara” Ganzon.
Mayor Liecel Mondejar-Seville of New Lucena said one of the initiatives of her local government unit (LGU) for PWDs is providing a lift inside the municipal building.
“Para ma-access sang PWDs, especially ang indi makalakat sang lawig, wheelchair users, and may scratches, we provided them with the lift. Amo na nga maka-access sang second floor sang municipal building, especially nga dira nabutang ang aton multipurpose nga venue pirme sang aton meetings,” Seville told Panay News.
The LGU is also hiring PWDs as employees.
“Gina-recognize man naton ang rights sang aton PWDs kay everybody is equal. Kon parti sa trabaho ginahatagan sang opportunity sa banwa sang New Lucena,” she added.
The New Lucena LGU continuously implements livelihood programs for PWDs and training to develop skills and learn how to start a small business.
According to Defensor, the provincial government is conducting the Search for the Most PWD-Friendly and Inclusive Municipalities to make Iloilo more PWD-inclusive and have them live a normal life.
“We want you to live normal lives; we will treat you like normal people, and we will focus on the programs and projects of the province like you are one of us. In that way, we can achieve our objectives,” Defensor said during the culminating activity.
He particularly noted the adjustments to the infrastructure projects to cater to the needs of the PWDs.
“We will adjust our lives para mabuligan naton sila. In other words, gina-adjust naton ang aton pangabuhi, pang-gobyerno kag aton programa para mahatag kag malab-ot ang gusto naton, nga ang gusto naton nga magsinarayo kag mangabuhi nga kaupod sila pareho lang kita tanan amo gid na ang gusto naton matabo,” he said.
For her part, Ganzon hoped that the initiatives taken by the six finalist municipalities for PWDs would inspire other LGUs.
“Ang Search for PWD-friendly municipalities naton ginpasidunggan kay man daku sia nga lihok sang gobyerno nga maka-inspire sa tagsa ka mga munisipyo to really give what the PWDs deserve — ang ila kinamatarong, ang equal opportunity, livelihood, education, and employment,” Ganzon said.
According to Ganzon, LGUs should not only treat this as compliance with the law but also from the heart, especially since PWDs belong to the marginalized sector.
“Sa aton local chief executives, they should really find it in their hearts nga tagaan gid sang importansya. The fact that they belong to the marginalized sector, ano bala sila ka importante,” she added.
The provincial government also recognized PWD scholar-graduates for school year 2022-2023. Of the 38 scholar-graduates, two were magna cum laude and nine were cum laude.
They each received a certificate of recognition and token from the PSWDO./PN
