ANTIQUE – Seventy-one persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Antique will receive new artificial legs as part of the province’s observance of the 48th National Disability Rights Week.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) officer-in-charge Careen Panaguiton said the prostheses will be distributed on Thursday to beneficiaries identified by their respective municipal social welfare and development officers.
Most of the recipients are amputees with lower extremity disabilities.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which will issue guarantee letters to supplier Instalimb Solutions Philippines Inc. to cover the cost of the prosthetic devices through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
The province is observing National Disability Rights Week from July 17 to 23 with the theme, “Rights First, Legislation Forward: Strategic Action for Equal Participation and Inclusive Development.”
Meanwhile, Panaguiton said the Provincial Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) continues to provide free therapy sessions to 18 patients with cerebral palsy at the Community-Based Inclusive Development-Center for Health and Rehabilitation in San Jose de Buenavista.
She also encouraged local government units to appoint permanent PDAO officers to ensure that the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities are properly addressed in every municipality.
Based on provincial records, Antique has 23,411 registered persons with disabilities. (PNA)
