Posted on June 27, 2011 by dexter.tiro
Lourdes Reyes, LCDPF President and Imtiaz Mohammed, LCD Senior Programme Head for Africa led the ribbon cutting during the LRC launching. Witnessing were Quezon City Councilor Alfred Vargas (hidden) LCDPF directors Atty Racela, Lee and Restubog; also present as witnesses were retire navy Capt Oscar Taleon of AKAP Pinoy, PTTC Director Adelaida Inton, Lena Choudray Salter, LCD New Programme Manager for Asia and Janelle Sunico of Accenture.
Last June 16, 2011 was the formal inauguration of the Economic Empowerment Programme’s Livelihoods
In her welcome address, LCDPF President Mrs. Lourdes L. Reyes stressed that LRC is open not only for PWD job-seekers but also for employers, the media, and the general public who want to know more about the rights of PWDs. She said that the LRC exists “to help PWDs empower themselves.”
This is what distinguishes LCDPF from other organizations serving PWDs. Most other organizations view PWDs largely as “subjects of social welfare and dole-outs”, whereas LCDPF views PWDs as persons with talents and abilities just like everybody else.
The highlight of the event was the keynote speech given by Councilor Alfred Vargas of the 2nd District of Quezon City. In his speech, Vargas said that he wants Quezon City to be recognized not only “the most PWD-friendly city in the Philippines”, but also as “one of the most PWD-friendly cities in the world.” Vargas is the principal author of a proposed local ordinance establishing the Quezon City Persons with Disability Affairs Office (QC-PDAO) which is now on for its third reading.
Councilor Alfred Vargas of 2nd District of Quezon City giving his Keynote Speech and delivering the message of the City mayor
In a prepared statement read by Councilor Vargas, QC Mayor Herbert Bautista also thanked LCDPF for seeking to establish a partnership with the local government unit. He also recognized that PWDs “have their own abilities and should not be limited by their physical handicaps. “At the end of the day”, the mayor said, “PWDs are taxpayers, employees, and citizens- like everybody else.”
Ms. Lena Choudary-Salter, the new Senior Programme Manager for Asia of Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) re-affirmed LCD’s commitment to a “rights-based approach” towards disability. She acknowledgedAccenture as a “model partner in the private sector” for having supported the establishment of the center.
Lena Choudary Salter in her message of solidarity reaffirms LCD’s commitment to a rights based approach towards disability.
For his part, Mr. Nestor Mejia, Training Manager of Makati Shangri-La, gave a testimonial on how his company had successfully hired PWDs for various job positions and have proven themselves as efficient employees. Mejia said they want to provide more job opportunities for PWDs as a result.
Nestor Mejia, Training Manager of Makati Shangri-La reported that all Shangri-La hotels in the Philippines are accepting PWDs as a result of a successful partnership with LCDPF.
Richard D. Arceño, LCDPF National Coordinator, explained briefly the purpose of the Economic Empowerment (EE) Programme, which is not only giving job referrals to prospective employees, but providing career guidance and livelihood skills training, and foundation skills training to PWD job seekers to better equip them in their job-hunting.
He also noted that 90% of PWDs do not have SSS (Social Security System) ID’s, and are thus deprived of social protection, in spite of their being more vulnerable to disease and accidents than non-disabled people.
A visually-impaired call center recruitment specialist, Ms. Crissy Bisda, shared her inspiring story, including the challenges that she faced and how she overcame those challenges in life.
Crissy Bisda, a blind call center recruitment specialist giving a testimony of the PWD talent.
She recognized that PWDs experience discrimination first before they get hired. Only very few are given the opportunity to land into corporate jobs. Presently, Bisda is a Talent Acquisition Specialist in TeleTech, a call center in Novaliches, Quezon City.
“As a living proof for PWDs, I would like to encourage everyone, especially employers, to be more open to PWDs regardless of case, especially in hiring them” , Bisda added. She ended her testimonial by saying, “In the mind of PWDs, we are winners. We don’t quit in our struggles.”
Former LCD Programme Head for Asia and the Americas, Imtiaz Mohammed, who was also present at the launching said that based on statistics, only 2%of children with disabilities (CWDs) go to school, and thus have no opportunity to enter the “the global market” and find employment in the future. He stated that “Given the right, proper training, PWDs could get better access to employment.”
Imtiaz Mohammed stressed that the success of the LRC is when it is able to reach the targets and open opportunities for people with disabilities.
He congratulated the staff of LCDPF for the formal inauguration of LRC and said that it was “an exciting time for the organization.”
Representatives from Accenture Janelle Sunico (in blue), Lead for ASEAN Corporate Citizenship and Emerson Enriquez of Philippine Delivery Center Corporate Citizenship chat with Lena Salter and Smiley Wang of LCD during the launch of the LRC. At far left is Councilor Alfred Vargas of Quezon City.
The launch drew together partners and friends of the Economic Empowerment Programme from both the private and public sectors. Also present to witness the inauguration of the center were representatives from the Accenture led by Janelle Sunico, ASEAN Corporate Citizenship Lead and Emerson Enriquez. The Accenture which is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company is the funder of the Access to Livelihoods Project that aims to provide job placement to 2,500 PWDs in Metro Manila in the next three (3) years.
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DEXTER C TIRO
Job Placement Officer
Economic Empowerment Programme
Leonard Cheshire Disability Philippines Foundation, Inc.
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