From left: Outgoing Alumni Association Secretary Joseph Jumantoc, AVRC II Center Head Dr. Jera C. Armendarez, and newly-elected Alumni Association President Hilario Barriga, Jr. delivering their speeches. (DSWD7 photo)
CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – Almost 200 former trainees from different Persons with Disability (PWD) federations in the province gathered during the recent general assembly conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7.
They are the former Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II trainees.
The general assembly aims to gather the former trainees and share with them the developments and plans of the association.
For over 50 years, the AVRC II produced 2,137 graduates from 1975 to 2024 who received free training courses and vocational rehabilitation from the center.
Dr. Jera C. Armendarez, AVRC II head, gave an overview of the center’s programs and services while emphasizing the opportunities available to them at the center.
“Each year, we are producing graduates, and we want them to have this community that helps them find opportunities while serving as a support group for their development as PWDs,” she said.
Armendarez believes that through the association of former trainees, AVRC II can strengthen the ties of those who graduated from the center and continue to make progress after graduation, either gaining employment or livelihood, in the hopes of helping those future graduates.
She emphasized the importance of maintaining the achievements of the Alumni Association by reinforcing the connections among graduates and empowering their network.
The Alumni Association of AVRC II is the first among all DSWD-established AVRCs in the country.
“We sit on the shoulders of those who established the association, which continues to grow today. We hope that our efforts will lead to prosperity and further development for the graduates,” Armendarez added.
The DSWD operates AVRCs throughout the country, including the National Vocational Rehabilitation Center in Metro Manila, AVRC I in Dagupan City, AVRC II in Cebu City, and AVRC III in Zamboanga City.
AVRC II Alumni President Hilario Barriga said they plan to provide insurance for their members at an affordable cost.
“Our plans and programs for this year are to provide insurance for the members at reasonable cost, shop for prosthesis, and other livelihood activities which could generate income for Persons with Disability members of our association,” said AVRC II Alumni President Hilario Barriga.
The AVRC II Alumni Association currently has 193 registered members. (HFG/PIA 7 with reports from DSWD 7)
