With persons with disabilities among the sectors hardest hit by the economic effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will be giving cash aid to the most vulnerable of persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help them cope.
Senator Dick Gordon, PRC chairman and CEO, said a number of PWDs such as the blind and the paraplegic are among those who have lost their livelihood when the enhanced community quarantine was imposed to contain the spread of the disease.
“The pandemic has made their situation harder.”
“Isa sila sa mga most vulnerable sa ating mga kababayan. Dahil sa kanilang kapansanan, disadvantaged na sila kahit noong wala pa itong COVID. Dahil sa pandemic mas naging mahirap ang kalagayan nila at hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin malinaw kung kelan sila makakabalik sa mga dating hanapbuhay nila,” Gordon said.
In line with this, the veteran legislator instructed the administrator of the PRC Cebu Chapter to provide relief goods and cash assistance to a blind man in Liloan, Cebu, who sent a text message to the PRC chairman, soliciting assistance.
“Tulungan niyo po ako kasi wala na po kaming makain ng aking pamilya. Bulag po ako at ang pagmamasahe po ang hanapbuhay ko dati na pinagkukuhanan ng pang-gastos namin. Hindi ko pa po alam kung kelan kami mapapayagang magmasahe ulit. Maraming salamat po,” he said in a text message.
“We need to give assistance to the blind, paraplegic and other PWDs who are doing their best effort for their families to survive during the COVID crisis.”
“Tinawagan ko siya kasi nagulat pa ako. Nung tinanong ko siya kung paano sya nakapag-text kung bulag siya. Sabi niya sa ‘kin, pwede na pong magsalita sa mga phone. Noong nagpunta naman kami sa Antipolo noong Biyernes, may isang naka-wheelchair na lumapit sa akin at nagpakilala na siya daw ‘yung tinutulungan ng asawa kong si Kate sa Tahanang Walang Hagdan dati at ngayon ay volunteer siya sa Red Cross. Kaya dapat talagang isama sa mga bibigyan ng assistance ang mga bulag, paraplegic o iba pang mga PWD, lalo na ‘yung mga gumagawa ng lahat para lang maitawid nila ang kanilang mga pamilya sa COVID,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
In a related development, the country will start a week-long observance of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week on July 17.
Proclamation No. 361, declared the third week of July as the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week which shall culminate on the birthdate of the sublime paralytic: Apolinario Mabini on July 23 each year.