27 yApayao gov’t workers undergo training to expand services to PWDs in the province

Luna, Apayao- Twenty-seven (27) social welfare officers for Persons with Disability in Apayao benefitted from the four-day Orientation and Mobility with Braille Reading and Writing training, facilitated by the Area-I Vocational and Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) on Sept.24-27.

Said participants comprised six (6) Person with Disability Affairs Officers, twelve (12) Local Social Welfare and Development officers, and nine (9) Apayao Barangay Social Welfare Workers.

The training was organized by the PSWDO, under the supervision of its Department Head Jocelyn Loyon, and aimed to capacitate government workers as implementors of PWDs' welfare programs, enhancing and strengthening service delivery.

AVRC-I team Manpower Development Officer Venus Marie C. Untalasco, along with AA-IV Dante Pagsulingan and SWO-II Roxanne Lopez, spearheaded the four-day training, imparting much needed knowledge and skills on reading, writing and different techniques as to how the PWDs navigate the environment thru the use of cane techniques, sighted guide techniques, and self-protection techniques.

Untalasco said the province is the first in region CAR to hold such training for its social workers.

Moreover, SWO III Hanna Gumidam, Apayao PWD program focal person on Sunday, explained that the four-day training was crucial to enable workers and enhance their perspectives on addressing client needs.

Testimonials from two blind siblings

The siblings Ato Yesser Agustin and Jay-Ar Agustin, residents of Dagupan, Luna who are both blind and graduates at AVRC testified that their lives were changed through their experience at the rehabilitation center.

"We did not feel homesick while away from our families because the center has a lot of fun activities prepared... Our perspectives have changed, uray bulag kami we were given the chance to undergo training, and with that we developed into a better version of ourselves. We felt so much care from the government. We have ventured into massage business, through the assistance of LEDIPO, and hopefully more PWDs will benefit from the partnership of the PLGU with the AVRC," they expressed.