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A canteen run by persons with disabilities

When in Jaro Plaza, one could not surely miss the canteen located in this part of the city where people that cater to your needs are persons with disabilities (PWDs) but to those who frequent the place and have enjoyed its services, they look at it with respect and admiration.

'The presence of this canteen here at the Jaro Plaza created public awareness on the productive capabilities of persons with disabilities (PWDs) or members of the Association of Disabled Person - Iloilo (ADP-I) in the city of Iloilo', Mary Rose Devaras, ADP-I president said.

The canteen opens at 7 o' clock in the morning and closes at 7 o' clock in the evening. It serves breakfast, lunch and snack to nearby workers and students. It is being run by ADP-I and at present has nine employed PWDs who are orthopedically handicapped, deaf and amputee.

The ADP-I was born on September 1990 through the strength of three PWDs, two are orthopedically handicapped and one visually impaired, with a mission to assist in the integration of Filipino PWDs into the mainstream of society by having a sustainable and productive organization uniting, leading and guiding the total development of PWDs not only in the province and city of Iloilo but in Western Visayas.

Since then, ADP-I has continually established close linkages, collaboration and networking with government agencies, non-government organizations and local government units.

In 1994, being an accredited co-partner of the Department Of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. 6 (DOLE RO6) under its Tulong Alalay sa mga Taong may Kapansanan (TULAY), the association was the first batch of PWD organizations granted a capital assistance amounting to P75,000 for its canteen project.          

The canteen was the first livelihood project of the organization and through its modest income it became the source of capital that supports the other programs and services provided by the association to its members and other PWDs in the province of Iloilo.

'TULAY program has been of great help to our organization, and yes, to all other PWD organizations in the region because through this program, we were able to start our livelihood projects, which have become the sources of income to our associations,' Devaras said.

Aside from the canteen project, the ADPI has also a massage center nearby manned by its visually impaired masseur members. It also offers computer encoding and printing and fax services. It has also a productivity center in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo where it manufactures wheelchair, special chair, prosthesis, crutches, armchairs, school chairs and day care chairs.  It also ventured into micro-financing with two branches here in Iloilo City and Btac. Viejo town.

ADP-I has also closely worked with DOLE in building the capabilities of other PWD associations. In 2003, the application of ADP in the municipality of Leganes was approved by DOLE for the conduct of Skills Training on Making of Mobility Devices in partnership with ADP-I through its productivity center, which was its counterpart for the said project.

After its completion, the project was able to generate employment opportunities when ADP-I employed all the trainees to work in its Cooperative that has been entrusted by the Department of Education 6 (DepEd 6) to produce 5,800 pieces of school chairs, not to mention such other mobility devices ordered by some hospitals and rehab centers.

ADP-I also ventured into bag making business after ten of its members availed of the skills training on bag making conducted by DOLE in 2004.

'The various seminars and training conducted by DOLE under the TULAY program have greatly contributed to the growth and development of our members in terms of capacity building and project management,' Devaras said.

The concerted efforts of various government agencies, specifically of DOLE, the NGOs, private sectors and PWD leaders have significantly contributed to the astounding transformation of the once 'apathetic' society into a more responsive and sympathetic one. ADP-I has been a catalyst of change that has deliberately broken the walls of society's discrimination. The inspiring concern shown to the PWD sector and the challenge laid on them with the help of concerned sectors who worked together for the common good of persons with disabilities in the city of Iloilo have paved the way for the realization of sustaining livelihood projects for PWDs.  Without those collaborative efforts, the notion that PWDs are 'parasites' of society would have remained and nothing would have changed in as far as this one disadvantaged sector of society is concerned. 

In a recent forum, Mario Abaygar, one of the three PWDs behind ADP-I said that they are talking about opportunity and privileges not dole-out or pity.

(DOLE/PIA)