Florencio Opeda, 64, stands proud in their water refilling station at Purok-22 Bliss Poblacion, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. He is a person with disability who sets a good example to his fellow PWDs about enjoying life despite his physical limitation. The said establishment is owned and managed by the Municipal Federation of Persons with Disabilities Association of the municipality of Prosperidad (MFPDAP) where Florencio volunteered to be the federation president.

“Dako gyud ni syag katabang sa mga persons with disabilities kay kung mupalit sila ug tubig sa amoa, P10 ra wherein sa lain magpalit sila P25. Naay mga PWDs naa pud diri nagnegosyo, ang hatag namo diri (pick-up) P15 kaysa P35 sa gawas, mao na amo nahatag na kaayuhan sa ilaha (This is really a big help to the persons with disabilities, for if they will buy in our station, it will only cost them P10 but in others it’s P25. There are PWDs who are also here for business, we give P15 for pick-up instead of P35 outside. That is what we can offer to them), ”  Florencio shares.

Started operations last May 5,2015, this water refilling station is a project funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)- Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB) modality in partnership with the local government unit of Prosperidad. The 26 PWDs, recipients of this project, were capacitated through the following trainings: Financial Literacy, Basic Business Management Training, and Simplified Bookkeeping.###(SLP/Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)

Written by Jannel T. Murillo, Development Communication Intern from Mindanao State University