The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga celebrated the 42nd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) week with the theme: “Together we demonstrate that the rights of children, women, and senior citizens with disabilities to have access to foods, medicines, and assistive devices is important to us; Prioritizing it during this COVID 19 pandemic” on July 17-23, 2020.
DSWD FO Caraga, through the Protective Services Division (PSD) headed by OIC-PSD Chief Jessie Catherine B. Aranas, turned-over assistive devices to twenty-four (24) Persons With Disability (PWDs) during the duration of the celebration. The assistive devices were distributed to the representatives for the localities of Tagana-an, Alegria, Tubod, Mainit, and Bacuag, Surigao del Norte, Cortes and Lianga, Surigao del Sur, Las Nieves and Magallanes, Agusan del Norte, and San Luis, Agusan del Sur.
Aside from the assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers, food packs and Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials were also given to the beneficiaries.
Due to the quarantine protocols, representatives from the Province of Dinagat Islands were not able to attend the said turn-over, hence, they will have another schedule as part of the celebration.
The above-mentioned assistance were given to the beneficiaries on July 21, 2020 during the Simultaneous Turn-over of Assistive Devices to the Persons with Disabilities.
The week-long celebration culminated with an online activity on July 23, 2020. DSWD OIC-Regional Director Ramel F. Jamen gave the opening message and emphasized the importance of the role of the different agencies and organizations in furthering the advocacy of promoting the rights of the Person with Disabilities, especially during this time of the pandemic.
Engineer Emerito Rojas, Executive Director of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), gave the inspiring message for the said event. Representatives from the local government units of Caraga region attended the program via Zoom and Facebook live.
To close the celebration, eight (8) DSWD FO staff with disabilities were given certificates, food packs, and hygiene kits as a token for their dedication in serving the Agency despite their physical conditions. A five-year-old boy with Orthopedic Disability was also given a wheelchair, food packs, and hygiene kit during the activity.
Several partner-organizations also participated in the celebration, especially during the closing day. The Caraga Federation of Persons with Disabilities (CARFEDPWD) gave their full support to the celebration.
The group visited Barangay San Vicente, Butuan City where they distributed the monthly subsidy of the PWDs and children with special needs in the community, amounting to 3,000 pesos each (1st semester of CY 2020) – food packs, hygiene kits, and assistive devices were also provided to the PWDs from the said barangay.
Brgy. Captain Rauzil Raprap Carampatana, together with the other barangay officials led the house to house distribution of the aforementioned assistance.
DSWD FO Caraga along with its partners continues in doing its mission to lead in the formulation, implementation, and coordination of social welfare and development policies and programs for and with the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged and encourages everyone to lead in ending the discrimination against the PWDs.
