BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The government continues to empower persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Baguio City with the recent launching of the PWD Livelihood Center at the Orchidarium Café .
Persons with Disability Affairs Office head Samuel Aquino said that the new center is dedicated to showcasing and selling products made by local PWD entrepreneurs including items made from recycled materials, among others.
“Ito ang magiging display center ng mga produkto na gawa ng mga taong may kapansanan. Kasi dito sa Lungsod ng Baguio, marami na pong taong may kapansanan na gumagawa ng mga produkto kagaya ng recycled materials na nagiging entrepreneur taking nilapo,” Aquino said.
The livelihood center is also a place for PWDs to pursue their entrepreneurial skills by offering the space free of charge, providing them with several benefits and allowing them to focus on growing their businesses.
“Isang request ng mga person with disability, ako din, nasana meron tayong space for persons with disability in terms of entrepreneurial activities nila. Kasi lagi na lang training, training tapos wala silang paglalagyan. Taposkapag may paglalagyan naman, mas mahal pa ‘yung rentakaysa ‘yung kita nila. So, sa pamamagitan ng programang gobyerno sa pagbibigay ng gusali, naniniwala tayo naito ay gaganda ang buhay nila, less expenses on their part,” Aquino said.
Members of the Persons with Disability Cooperative of Baguio are the beneficiaries of the livelihood center. Initially, 22 beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment Assisted Livelihood Program will begin displaying their products at the center after two weeks.
Marie Lou Cris Furia, an officer of the PWD Women’s Baguio expressed her gratitude to the government for giving them an opportunity to display their products at the livelihood center.
“We are blessed very, very much because we have livelihood and we can start anytime from now. We are all very happy, the PWDs, we can take out our goods to sell here,” she said.
Furia also urged other PWDs to showcase their talents and skills because she believed that they are talented and even if they are incapable physically, their minds are very capable.
The construction of the center was funded with P2.3 million from the general appropriations of the local government of Baguio. The fund also covered the purchase of furniture and other essential materials for the operation of the center. (JDP/DEG/Liezel Castillijos-PIACAR, BSU Intern)
