Valenzuela City Government to issue new kits for PWD
Valenzuela City Government’s Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) has been giving out kits for Persons with Disability (PWD) to make them a priority to several local and national government services since June 25.
The kits include the new Valenzuelano PWD identification cards. These ID cards are made of metallic PVC which look like privilege cards. “The local government wants to give our PWDs a sense of pride in owning their cards. That is why we made it look like membership IDs in élite establishments. Mayor REX wants them to feel, when they are holding it that it is, indeed, their pass to a world of exclusive benefits,” said Snooky Cortes, Officerin-Chage of the PDAO.
The usual PWD IDs are laminated cards valid for only three years and are prone to wear and tear over time. The PVC cards are water-resistant and are now valid for up to five years.
Another distinct component of the kit is a signage which is being posted on the gate or on the door of the beneficiary’s place of residence. These will serve as markers for identifying homes with PWDs who shall be given priority during evacuations in times of calamities.
The kits also include their Purchase and Commodities Booklet, Medicine Booklet, and information materials.
With all these in the posses- sion of the beneficiaries they can now fully avail of their priviliges under the Republic Act No. 7277, or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, as amended, such as discounts when buying medicine, foods and groceries, and priority in queueing in public transportation, among others.
Armella Siscar, 32, expressed her gratitude for the support given by the city government.
Since high school, she experienced gradual blurring of vision which affected her daily life. Due to her poor eyesight, she eventually developed vertigo, a condition where affected individuals experience frequent bouts of dizziness.
“Thank you kay Mayor Rex sa lahat ng tulong, magsisimula na naming ma-enjoy ang mga benefits na nakalaan sa amin. (Thank you Mayor Rex for all your help, we can now avail of the benefits that are intended for us.),” said Siscar.
Her niece, Aleighsa Siscar, 19, also echoed her delight towards the program. Aleighsa developed psoriasis at a young age and struggled with the visible symptoms of her condition which includes red, scaly patches in her skin. There is no known cure for psoriasis but the symptoms are manageable with topical creams and medications. Topical creams for mild cases like Aleighsa’s can cost up to P1,000 each week that’s why her family appreciates that people with disabilities like her are supported by the local government in leading a normal life.
Janet Domingo, 49, after undergoing operation for cataract in both of her eyes, has had trouble seeing without her eyeglasses. She used to work as a purchaser for a private company in Manila but had to stop after another operation, this time for total hysterectomy. Doctors removed her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries to resolve her low hemoglobin levels caused by fibroids or muscular tumors in her uterus. She was also adviced to undergo a hormone replacement therapy which costs around P4,000 a month to prevent the early onset of Osteophorosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Aside from the 20% discount for medicines, she appreciates that the city government take the initiative to reach out to the residents.
Historically, the PDAO hasmore than 20,000 PWDs on their record, but after further house to house validation, the number dropped to close to 5,000. Cortes says the number increases everyday by the hundreds as more constituents are validated and added up to the list.
The PDAO estimates that the distribution of kits will finish within two months. Constituents are advised beforehand that only the cardholder can receive the kits and they have to surrender their old PWD cards.