ILOILO – The Iloilo provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) made the persons with disability (PWDs) in the province feel loved and appreciated a day before Valentine’s Day.
Through the help of PSWDO’s partner, Latter Day Saints (LDS) Charities, Inc., over 40 wheelchairs, four wheel walkers, three pairs of crutches, and one adult walker were donated to PWDs from Oton, Miag-ao, Tubungan, San Miguel, New Lucena, Leon, Alimodian, Santa Barbara, Maasin, Mina, Calinog, Badiangan, San Enrique, Dingle, Passi City, Dumangas, Banate, Dueñas, Ajuy, and Estancia.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias; PSWDO head Sarah Barayuga; Ann Rapunzel “Rara” Ganzon, Social Welfare and Development Officer IV and PSWDO focal person for PWDs; and LDS Church Service Missionaries Elder Joel and Sister Shirley Gonzaga led the provision of wheelchairs and assistive devices at the Iloilo provincial capitol on Tuesday morning, Feb. 13.
Barayuga said, for this year, this was the first of a series of provision of wheelchairs and assistive devices. More PWDs could receive the same in the coming months.
“This is the first provision of year 2024 – 40 wheelchairs and few assistive devices. We will surely have more of this kind of activities,” she added.
In November last year, the provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for an additional 800 wheelchairs and 834 assistive devices for the province of Iloilo. It was the second biggest provision of LDS Church next to La Union.
Why provision instead of distribution?
Provision, explained Barayuga, implies that those who receive wheelchairs and assistive devices have been assessed of their needs.
“In other words ang ari diri subong nga makabaton sang wheelchairs and assistive devices na-assess sang aton trained assessor with regards to their needs, including ano klase nga wheelchair ang para sa ila,” she said.
For his part, Banias thanked the Latter Day Saints Charities, Inc. that had been a partner of the provincial government since the time of former Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. in delivering social services to PWDs.
“Halin sa tatay pakadto sa bata padayun ini nga partnership. Nalipay kita nga makita ang sustainable nga pag-amuma kag pagkabalaka sang Latter Day Saints sa aton,” he said.
The provincial administrator said the social services program is a part of the social justice agenda of the Defensor administration.
“Ginatinguhaan sang aton governor nga ang aton mga utod nga mga Ilonggo nga kubos, kulang sa pangabuhi, handicapped and disabled matagaan sang igtalupangod sang aton gobyerno,” he added.
Iloilo province is fortunate to be the chosen recipient and partner of the Latter Day Saints Charities, Inc., thus Banias reminded the beneficiaries to take good care of the wheelchairs and assistive devices./PN
