Manila joins global run to ‘Break the Silence’

Manila, together with 20 other cities across the globe, will “Break The Silence” on March 19, as the Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS) initiates a solidarity run to stop sexual abuse and exploitation of deaf communities in the Philippines.

The goal of the run is to generate a global wave of awareness which will contribute to stopping the sexual abuse of deaf women and children who are the more vulnerable to exploitation, according to a recent survey conducted by the Philippine Deaf Resource Centre, where 65-70 percent of deaf boys and girls in the Philippines have been molested while a further study revealed that one-third of female respondents had been raped.

While the primary run will be held in Cebu City, AIESEC Alumni Philippines is organizing a local fun run in Manila to support the global movement. The Manila run will be in McKinley West Park, Taguig City at 6 to 9 a. m. with a 2.5K and a 5K running route. PADS’ partners and networks across the Americas, Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific Nations will also host runs in their cities on that day. The final run of the day will be hosted by Google at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California.

Approximately 10,000 global change- makers of all abilities and ages are expected to participate in the Global Run. PADS is also encouraging other local organizations and NGOs to adopt the project and host fun runs in their cities as well.

Participants are encouraged to donate a minimum of P350 which will help strengthen the Break the Silence advocacy through a year-long activity which involves raising awareness, providing training, and improve access to education that will enable the PWD community to grow and develop as independent, integrated, fully human and empowered citizens in society.

AIESEC Alumni in partnership with DDB Cares produced a promotional video and started circulating a video challenge on social media to help raise awareness. The challenge is done by filming one’s self doing a sign language of “Together, we can break the silence” and uploading it on Facebook using #BreakTheSilence hashtag and tagging it to friends to do the same.

For more details and to pre-register, you may visit Break the Silence Event Page through PADS’ Facebook Fan Page or visit PADS website at www.pads.org.ph.