PWDs in Santa Marcela receive free wheelchairs, assistive devices

Santa Marcela, Apayao- Seven Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Santa Marcela town on Friday, felt the care of the government to them as the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) along with MSWDO team personally visited them and distributed wheelchairs, crutches, and hearing aid to enhance the PWDs’ mobility and improve hearing capacity.

Mayor Evelyn B. Martinez and Vice Mayor Rolly U. Guiang were happry and grateful for the provision, and expressed hope that said initiative will reach more PWDs in other areas of their town.

Among the beneficiaries were 1 senior citizen, 5 adults below 60 years old, and 1 child, who were provided 3 standard wheelchairs, 2 pediatric wheelchairs, 1 pair of crutches, and 1 hearing aid.

Aside from the ones recently endorsed by MSWDO Santa Marcela, provincial PWD focal person Hannah Gumidam on Saturday said they met with other PWDs and included them in the list of beneficiaries for next distribution.

Gumidam likewise informed that besides the assistance, there are other benefits which recipients could avail.

"Besides the assistive devices, they have grocery items given two times a year especially for the indigent PWDs. This is a special program for PWDs which exists only in Apayao, we call it the (Medium for IyApayaos Deprived by Disability Entitlement) Program, or MIDDE, an Isnag word which means 'pamigay,' she expressed.

Moreover, other programs designed for PWDs include educational assistance for Learners with Special Education Needs (LSENs) & PWD students in regular schools for Elementary and Highschool learners, regular capacity building activities with partner stakeholders to address issues on disabilities, and IEC on disability prevention, sign language & skills trainings.

"For their other basic needs, we could provide them referrals to avail of other agencies services, especially when the necessity is beyond our office programs, " Gumidam added.

The PWD beneficiaries, meantime, thanked the initiative of the PSWDO and the support of the Provincial Government led by Governor Elias C. Bulut Jr., saying they are glad they are not forgotten.