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Problems abound in implementation of PWD benefits
LGBT community remembers those who died of HIV By PATRICK KING PASCUAL “DENVER” (not his real name) is HIV-positive. He has been an outpatient at one of the HIV/AIDS treatment hubs in Manila for seven...
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3 ways to live normal and productive life even with lupus
By MARILYN MANA-AY ROBLES They are persons with lupus. ROCHELLE, a young lupus patient of 8 years, received a text message from the president of the Lupus Foundation reminding her of their regular 1st...
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A PWD in love in ‘The Trial’
By PABLO A. TARIMAN John Lloyd Cruz FOR a change, actor John Lloyd Cruz departs from his ‘kilig’ movies to offer something different for Filipino moviegoers. He figures in a new Chito Roño film called...
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Teaching in silence
Michelle Gabisan, seen here with the writer, attends the oath taking ceremony for new teachers in 2012. Photo by JOHN PAUL ECARMA MAUNES By JOHN PAUL ECARMA MAUNES CEBU CITY— It is a typical morning...
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Learning about Down Syndrome from Celina
Text and photos by OFELIA EMPIAN Celina Sakiwat learns basic life skills like doing household chores in school. LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—She whirls around the room with her apron on. She wipes the table...
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Wanted: PWD-friendly public facilities
Text and photos by JAKE SORIANO The Philippines until now has no accessible public transport for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Advocates lament this sad fact, and are calling for a more...
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Deaf triathlete helps next generation of deaf athletes
Lester Lagos shares his story with deaf student athletes at the Cebu City Sports Complex. Photo by JOHN PAUL ECARMA MAUNES By JOHN PAUL ECARMA MAUNES and JAKE SORIANO CEBU CITY – Deaf triathlete...
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From handmade Braille teaching aids to rooms on the second floor at Manila’s...
Text and photos by MARIA FEONA IMPERIAL and YVETTE B. MORALES WHEN she walked into her first day of teaching back in 2007, Leah Reyes was rendered speechless. It was not because all eyes were on her...
View ArticleKinds of sign language in the Philippines
By MARIA FEONA IMPERIAL IN the Philippines, one spoken word can have several variations in meaning. The Tagalog word for “bird”, for instance, is the same as the Kapampangan for “egg.” Indeed, one must...
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PWD-owned startup aims to put more PWDs on the road
JAJEV Industry’s founders (from left) Juanito Mingarine, Efren Fernandez and Joseph Asoque. Photo by Danica Uy By VJ BACUNGAN and DANICA UY A BEVY of red tricycles hurtle down Bonifacio Avenue, a...
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Deafening silence: Private TV stations opt against using sign language insets
By RONN BAUTISTA and KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING (First of two parts) SUPPERTIME in the Philippines is often accompanied by the start of local primetime newscasts in Filipino homes. At 6:30 p.m., media...
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Deafening silence: Budget woes hamper state TV accessibility to deaf persons
By RONN BAUTISTA and KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING (Conclusion) IN the Philippines, sign language insets in free-to-air television channels are almost unheard of. Out of Metro Manila’s 18 channels, only one...
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Deaf advocates push for more inclusive education system
Text and video by GRAZIELLE CHUA and VERLIE RETULIN AS a Deaf student, Ana Kristina Arce had to transfer from one school to another, trying to find the best one to accommodate her needs—a costly...
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Fairest of them all
Czarinah Mercado in her festival costume during the awarding ceremony of Miss Philippines on Wheels, Signs and Vision 2013. By YVETTE B. MORALES CZARINAH Mercado was nervous. It was her first time to...
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Village of PWD dreams
Wheelchair user Sofronio Floro is one of the homeowners in Davao City’s ADAP Village, a community of PWDs that provides livelihood opportunities for members through cooperativism. Photo by JOHN...
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Championing PWD rights
In order to move freely about, Charito Manglapus, who has spastic cerebral palsy, uses a motorized wheelchair donated by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). Manglapus grasps the...
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Hotel gets impromptu lessons on how to—and not to—evacuate PWDs during Shake...
Drop, cover, hold Text and photos by YVONNE T. CHUA AT 10:30 a.m., the hotel emergency alarm went off, signaling the start of Thursday’s “Shake Drill” designed to prepare Metro Manilans for a 7.2...
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Earmarking the misheard
During his free time, Torralba covers events related to PWDs. Photo courtesy of RAPHAEL TORRALBA By CAMILLE AGUINALDO RAPHAEL Torralba never thought that a fall from the stairs would change his life...
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Living for the open road
For Cuya mobility impairment is no barrier to driving. Photo by VJ BACUNGAN By VJ Bacungan DRIVING a manual can be agonizing for many drivers, especially in the stop-start traffic of the...
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Playing for Pinas: An athlete’s ride to success
Text and video by GRAZIELLE CHUA THE multi-awarded athlete holds his right fist to his chest as he recalls the moment the Philippine flag was being raised after he won at the 9th Far East and South...
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