DOST provides therapeutic handlooms to SPED students

IN an effort to provide more opportunities and empower persons with disabilities, the Department of Science and Technology-National Capital Region (DOST-NCR) and DOSTPhilippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) partnered to empower differently abled pupils in a school for children with special needs. The partnership provides opportunities for students to earn income through handloom weaving.

DOST- NCR Regional Director Jose Patalinjug III observes how differently abled students of St. Francis School- VSA Arts of the Philippines, Inc. use the therapeutic handlooms that the agency provided in support of the school’s objectives to provide more opportunities for children and adults with special needs.

In early May, DOST-NCR brought to St. Francis School-VSA Arts of the Philippines, Inc. (SFS-VSAP) the PTRI-developed portable therapeutic handlooms designed to provide a weaving technology for those with special needs.

“Our differently abled children and fellowmen are capable of producing country’s economic development. With adequate technology, training, and opportunities, we can further empower them so they can do bigger things,” said DOST-NCR’s Regional Director Jose Patalinjug III.

The partnership was borne out of the DOST-NCR funded project titled Improving the Capacity and Productivity of Urban Weaving of St. Francis School-VSA Arts of the Philippines, Inc. thru the Fabrication of PTRI Developed Portable Therapeutic Handlooms. Under the said project, DOST-NCR will provide 10 units of the PTRI developed therapeutic handlooms to SFS-VSAP and provide trainings on the features, operations, and maintenance of the technology.

The therapeutic handlooms were - ferently abled persons in handloom weaving as a therapeutic rehabilitation for their physical, mental, social, and vocational ability. What makes the handlooms special is that these are strategically designed for the use of paraplegic persons or those with total non-coordination of their lower extremities.

Prior to the DOST-NCR support, SFS-VSAP only had four handlooms which were imported from Japan and Thailand and were interchangeably used by 20 student-weavers during their classes. The school currently has 47 students and among these are those with Down syndrome, global development delay, autism, and hearing impairment.