Differently-abled Zambaleño youth reap fruit from laundry business

OLONGAPO CITY – The Association of Differently Abled-Persons Zambales Inc. (ADAPZI) is now reaping fruits from its laundry business thanks to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)’s livelihood assistance.

The ADAPZI, whose membership is comprised of 35 persons with disabilities (PWDs), mostly hearing-impaired youths, was forged by its founding president Dr. Emiliana Sanchez.

“When we started ADAPZI, we embarked with a very important cause to help and empower persons with disabilities, especially those from the youth, by providing them training and education on livelihood enterprise and make them to be selfsufficient, through income augmentation, and be productive members of society,” Sanchez said.

“With our help, their disability will never be any hindrance for them to find success in any field that they wish to pursue on,” she added.

Presently, ADAPZI-members are enrolled in the elementary, high school, and college levels in Columban College through its segregation and mainstreaming programs.

DOLE Zambales Field Office head Reynante Lugtu said that ADAPZI’s project proposal submitted to the DOLE was fit for PWDs who wanted to venture into small business.

“Even with hearing impairment, we saw the enthusiasm of the group in their interest to venture into small business during our RMPG meeting. It is but fitting to give them the chance and opportunity to do so though our DOLE livelihood program,” Lugtu said.

“Through the DOLE’s Tulong, Alalay sa mga Taong may Kapansanan or more commonly known as the TULAY Program, we aim to assist persons with disability by mainstreaming them with society through training as well as livelihood and employment opportunities,” he furthered.

In August 2014, ADAPZI received a P100,000 TULAY livelihood assistance under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) for its Laundry Business project.

The group used its livelihood assistance to purchase three industrial washing machines and laundry tools and materials to start their small business.

The first few months of operation was a struggle but was likewise a challenge for the group to improve its operations through patience and hard work.

The laundry shop before used to earn a meager P200 to 500 per day, but after a year in operations, it now earns at least P1,000 to 1,800 per day.

With initial success, ADAPZI has set its sights to pursue more various projects intended for its members and the rest of the PWDs within their community.

Aside from this, its members now are receiving more allowances which they can now use for their education and basic school needs.

Last but not least, the ADAPZI’s Laundry Shop project has already provided gainful employment opportunities for its members.

PWD Raman Cantiller, who manages the ADAPZI Laundry Shop, said through sign language, that it was difficult for him to find a job which hires PWDs.

“Sobrang hirap mag-hanap ng trabaho para sa isang PWD, lalo na po kung may kapansanan sa pandinig. Nagpapasalamat po ako sa ADAPZI, lalung-lalo na po sa tulong pangkabuhayan ng DOLE, upang magkaroon ng ganitong proyekto kung saan kaming mga PWD ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng disenteng trabaho. Ngayon po, ako na ang Manager ng Laundry Shop ng ADAPZI,” Cantiller said.

Sanchez, on behalf of the ADAPZI, also thanked the DOLE for providing the much needed livelihood assistance for its members.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the DOLE for giving us the opportunity to help our differently-abled members, by extending this livelihood assistance which truly helped us get started and eventually having a sustainable small business which we envision to grow in the years to come,” Sanchez said.

“Rest assured, that the ADAPZI is also committed to the DOLE’s goal in helping more PWDs, especially those from poor families, in uplifting and improving their way of life,” she added.

Just recently, ADAPZI members undergone an Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT) facilitated by the DOLE-Zambales Field Office in commemoration of the 37th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week. — Jerry Borja/DOLE-LCO