Finally, the rain.
With generous assistance from the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmarinas, PWDPhil has partnered with the Angono PDAO, headed by Amormio Vitor for the pilot project of the PWDe Initiative. Continue reading
Category Archives: Pinoys with Disabilities
PWDPhil Hour is no longer on radio
It was a good run. Last January of 2017, we got good news that we will have a weekly slot on DZRB 738 AM Radyo Pilipinas 1 which was later made twice a week, Saturday and Sunday. The PWDPhil Hour paved the way for the incorporation of what is now a full-fledged NGO known as the Organization for Pinoys with Disabilities Inc. Based in Angono, Rizal, this new NGO is struggling to help its near 10,000 members into becoming aware of their rights and privileges as PWDs as well as whatever government programs and other benefits made available through existing laws.
While we are sad to have left radio, we are happy to announce that we are pursuing other channels to reach our audiences. We are working on something in the digital space that will allow us to help PWDs improve their quality of life and to make more noise so that employers will notice how advantageous it is for them to hire PWDs.
This is not end but a new beginning for our cause. We will more reachable, more accessible and more than willing to help those who cannot help themselves.
If there is any organization our there who wants to donate to our cause, we would greatly appreciate it. As of today, we give free disability awareness and sensibility seminars to those who want to tap into PWDs as part of their clientèle. Any organization with front-facing crew can benefit from our seminars. All you need to do is leave us a comment with your contact information and we will call you back for the arrangements.
To those who have supported us on radio, thank you very much and more power to you!
The Pinoy with disabilities during disasters
What are the protocols for the evacuation of Pinoys with disabilities during disasters? Continue reading
The Filipino attitude towards Autism Spectrum Disorder
Our radio show “the PWDPhil Hour” has had several guests and calls from listeners, many of them sharing their experiences through our segment #myPWDstory which is also available to them online through our Facebook page (http://facebook.com/PWDPhil)
One of the most eye-opening incidents on the show was when we were airing yesterday (Sept 24, 2017), one of our texters asked the question “… ang taong nasiraan ng ulo aksep po ba yan sa PWD autism din po ba yan…?” To me this question raised two points: One, is that the general attitude about mental disorders, the average Filipino will just chalk it up to “sira ulo” and all the other negative stereotypes that go with the label.
And two, that mental disorders are not considered as a medical condition by the average Filipino. Many Pinoys believe that mental disorders are conditions that the sufferers can just wake up one Jday and snap out of it. It is this belief that make the life of mental disorder sufferers and people with autism very difficult and almost impossible to endure.
Opportunities for school and work often available to non-disabled children are practically non-existent for children with autism. Most of the time they are left to the care of institutions, individuals and relatives, oftentimes considered a burden to both the state and the primary caretakers. We at the Organization for Pinoys with Disabilities Inc. do not believe this. Children with autism deserve treatment and understanding because they are, above all, children too, autism or not.
Filipinos must realize that “crazy people” are not that way by choice. This is the same with sufferers of autism. It is not something they have chosen to become or a result of bad parenting. It may be genetic but it may also be negligence on the part of the mother during her pregnancy. Those who have been known to have been heavily drinking, smoking or using recreational drugs during pregnancy are said to have offspring suffering from autism, cerebral palsy and other birth-borne conditions. During one of our radio shows, a gynecologist named Dr. Rebecca Singson reiterated the need for pregnant mothers to watch what they eat and stick to organic food, consciously avoiding processed food like hotdogs, cakes and the like as these can trigger a plethora of medical conditions that might adversely affect both mother and child.
Please do tune in to our radio program “the PWDPhil Hour” for more information on how you can help prevent such conditions for your child. If you are already the caregiver of a person with disabilities, do tune in and join the conversation so we can get you the help you need by guesting doctors, audiologists, psychiatrists and even developmental pediatricians. The PWDPhil Hour airs every Saturday and Sunday. 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm over DZRB 738 KHz AM Radyo Pilipinas 1.
Abby Asistio: Strength in Adversity
I first met Abby Asistio in a Novuhair event in Quezon City. At that time I ask myself, what was her problem, not having hair? I didn’t think it was a big deal. I figured, she’s lucky she isn’t disabled.
But I also learned from our parish priest that it is not right to compare your troubles with that of other people. Jollibee food may not be a dream for many of us who work in the city, but when I went to Romblon, I met people whose kids can only only dream of Chickenjoy because there isn’t any in their town. And there is a huge part of our population who have yet to see the inside of a mall.
Which brings me back to Abby Asistio. She has a condition known as Alopecia, which is basically a disorder within her immune system which causes progressive hair loss. She has had it since she was a little girl and has lived with a lot of cruel comments, potshots and even ridicule from other people, even friends and family. As many would say, ‘kalbo lang daw ang nagpapatawa.’ Believe me, there isn’t anything funny about her condition.
Abby Asistio still pursued a singing career and worked hard to make some of her dreams come true. And even became a celebrity endorser for a hair growth product which seems to work well for her. Now with hair her confidence has grown and she has now accomplished a lot more than what she set out to do.
It may be wrong for us to compare our troubles with others but it’s not a bad idea to learn from how other people overcame their troubles to live a life they’ve always wanted. Despite our differences in the nature of our struggles, there are ways to overcome and it always begins with acceptance. Once you have accepted your situation, you will be better equipped to formulate a more effective strategy to overcome your disabilities.
One of our friends in the community stands out as my personal beacon of inspiration when it comes to overcoming obstacles and that’s Kcat Yarza. She has been in and out of the hospital and is a sufferer of Neurofibromatosis. However the difficulty she is always always smiling and keeps counting her victories rather than her failures. Kcat and Abby are two of the bravest persons I’ve ever known and it would not be a bad idea to learn from them.