NDPR Week closes
Vice Mayor Joe Espinosa III serenades the top 10 outstanding PWDs with Marisa Montelibano at the keyboard.AT the closing of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week celebration last July, 10 outstanding persons with disabilities (PWDs) were given recognition for the significant roles they have played in society.
A speech from Councilor Jeffrey Ganzon during the closing ceremony reminds us how special each one of us is. “According to the Book of Genesis, which tells of the creation of Earth, man is special. Man is the only creature who can dream and reach for the stars. Such underscores the contribution of PWDs and how they are integrated in the mainstream. These outstanding PWDs are proof of their courage as well as of their being equal and at par with the rest of the people.”
The NDPR celebration may have ended last July but the recognition of the presence of persons with disabilities continues.
Jasper Rom of Handicap International spoke of the importance of accessibility for PWDs in order for them to be empowered. “Despite the barriers of society, some PWDs have achieved so much. How much more if this society is very much inclusive? During the UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs, it was stressed that disability happens if PWDs interact with the environment. Thus, if the environment is one that makes things accessible for these individuals, the impact of disability is minimized.”
The NDPR Week’s theme was “Sa istrukturang accessible, lahat ay able.” How true!
