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A big sign was posted at the Exhibit of the DSWD Field Office Eight, crying for support to break all barriers for persons with disabilities, in last year's celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week held at the Robinson's Place-Tacloban.July 17 to 23 of this year marks the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.

The DSWD Field Office Eight under Regional Director, Leticia Diokno, calls on everyone to make the observance another meaningful one. She enjoins local government units to come up with activities in their localities, like hanging of advocacy streamers, Free Clinic for Persons with Disabilities, Job Fair, Forum on Disability Issues, Entrepreneurship Seminar, Trade Fair showcasing livelihood products of Persons with Disabilities, and Consultation – Dialogue on laws, policies, issuance, and programs and services for the welfare of persons with disabilities.

With this year’s theme – “Mainstreaming Persons with Disabilities in Economic Development,” Diokno pointed out that this is an appropriate time to tackle barriers and gaps that hinder the promotion of the economic well-being of persons with disabilities.   She expressed hope that all sectors of society will be re-awakened to the realities that persons with disabilities ought to be given equal opportunities, be it in education, employment, health, and livelihood.

Ben Calzado, focal person for the program for persons with disabilities of the DSWD Field Office Eight, revealed that based on the 2007 survey conducted by the Department of Health (DOH), there are some 43, 132 persons with disabilities in the region. Calzado said, most of them are marginalized.

He further revealed that the DOH is the agency that comes up with the Regional Registry of Persons with Disabilities, and administers the survey every five years. Other government entities, which compose the Regional Council on Disability Affairs, provide other programs and services for the betterment of the lives of persons with disabilities.

The RCDA, under the chairmanship of the DSWD, is set to meet on Thursday, June 28 at nine o’clock in the morning, at the DOH Region Eight Conference Room at Pawing, Palo, for its second quarter conference. Part of the agenda is the forthcoming National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week celebration.