The Regional Committee for Disability Affairs (RCDA) headed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Eight leads today, July 18, in the opening of this year’s National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week which delves on the theme – “Making the Rights Real for Persons with Disabilities.”

The launching starts with a holy mass at eight o’clock in the morning at the Sto Niño Church in Tacloban City, followed by a parade, which will end at the MacDonalds. The parade is dubbed as “Walk for Life.”

An Integrated Services Fair will be held after the parade at the City Engineer’s Office. Medical, dental, legal and entrepreneurial services by the different government agencies which compose the RCDA will be offered at the fair.

The DSWD, in close coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), will sponsor a one-day orientation for local officials on Republic Act 9442 or an Act which grants other privileges and benefits to persons with disabilities, and Republic Act 10070, which calls for the establishment of a Person with Disability Affairs Office in every locality. The activity will be held on July 21 at the Balyuan Convention Center in Tacloban.

On same day will be a consultation – dialogues with business establishments on the granting of twenty percent discount privilege to persons with disabilities. This is spearheaded by the Tacloban City Social Welfare and Development Office under Liliosa Baltazar.

The weeklong observance will be capped with the holding of a DSWD – led talent show entitled “PWD or Persons with Disabilities Got Talent,” also on July 21 at two o’clock in the afternoon at the Robinson’s Place. Interested may contact Elsie Abellera of the Tacloban City Federation of Persons with Disabilities at telephone number (053) 327-0171.