EMPOWERING INCLUSION: STRENGTHENING ACCESSIBILITY

MARY ANN D. SERRANO

As our nation go through changes and development, it is crucial to ensure that everyone has equal access, opportunities, and resources. It is very significant that every individual feels the sense of belongingness and acceptance. And one aspect of that plays an important role in fostering inclusivity is accessibility.

Leaders of National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) worked together in spreading awareness of the Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 or known as the Accessibility Law. The Office of the DPWH Representative of the National Council on Disability Affairs (ODR-NCDA), Office of the Secretary (OSEC) conduct a seminar/training on the said law to all its offices all over the country.

As a SPED Teacher who handles learners with visual impairment, I was invited to be one of the resource speakers of the said seminar/training. I shared my expertise in discussing the different types of disability, kinds of visual impairment, courtesy rules of blindness and orientation and mobility. At first, participants (who are engineers, architects, building officials and the like) marveled about the connection of SPED to their career as “builders” of the community. So, as part of their training, I let them put their selves in a shoe of a person who is blind. They were blind folded and walk through the facilities within the venue. They experienced the challenges being faced by the vulnerable sectors (PWDs, senior citizens, heavily pregnant women, etc.) whenever they go to establishments without accessibility features. With that, they were able to realize the importance of the accessibility features of every infrastructure they build. At the end, each participant ensured us that they will be part of the way we transform our community into a more inclusive and accessible society to every individual.

The seminar served as an eye-opener that accessibility is not a privilege, but a right. It is our responsibility to ensure that this right is upheld in every corner of our society. As we continue to work towards this goal, we look forward to seeing the positive changes that our efforts will bring about.

-oOoThe author is SPED Teacher I at Angeles Elementary School