Butuan City, March 31, 2014 – In celebration of the 2014 Women with Disabilities Day and pursuant to Proclamation No. 744 issued on December 6, 2014, titled “ Declaring the Last Monday of March Every Year as Women with Disabilities Day,” the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Caraga (DSWD FO Caraga) joined the celebration with the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) and other agencies.
The festivity is highlighted by a Skills Training for Women with Disability: Rug Making, spearheaded by the CSWD.
The theme for this year’s Women with Disability Day is, “ Isulong , Pantay na Karapatan ni Juanang May Kapansanan”. It aims to highlight the participation of women with disabilities on relevant and related trade of the society for poverty reduction. It also illustrates the importance of ensuring respect for their inherent dignity, full and effective participation and inclusion in society and equality between them and men.
Rev. Fr. Rex T. Cassion, the officiating priest for the mass that was celebrated first hour of the event said that seeing the participants and upon
learning how they excelled in their individual endeavour and how they coped in the norms of the society are not supposedly called women with disabilities but rather women with these abilities.
Ms. Marieta S. Jandayan, PWD President acknowledged the facilitators, the benefactor, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) headed by Carmelito Fabian Abitona as the Acting Port Manager and the parents of the participants for the cooperation and support extended to all women with disabilities present.
“I want everyone to participate in this important day for people with disability because we’re part of your community. We all live together, we want to celebrate our achievements, showcase our skills that we are equally important. And we want you to celebrate with us,” Ms. Jandayan earnestly said.
Also joining in the celebration are the pupils from the SPED, Lingap children, and parents of the women with disabilities in the city. ###(TDB/Social Marketing Unit/ FO Caraga)