Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Independent Living Philosopy Starts in the Philippines


Since the late 1960’s the disabled people had been demanding for their rights in the Philippines.
In celebration of the Biwako Millennium Framework and the Proclamation 240 of President Glorai Macapagal-Arroyo, Human Care Association of Japan reached out to Disabled People’s Organizations (DPO) per island group last 2004, namely Spinal Cord Injury Foundation (SCIF) from Metro Manila and Handicapped Anchored in Christ, Inc (HACI) of Cebu and had a Peer Counseling seminar workshop in Cebu.

November of 2004, Abner Manlapaz was invited by Human Care Association to go to Hachioji, Tokyo in Japan for a more Intensive Leadership training on Peer Counseling.

March of 2005, Abner Manlapaz, one of the six leaders from the Philippines who received training on Independent Living was invited to the Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) in Bangkok, Thailand for Training of Managerial Personnel of Independent Living Centers for Persons with Disabilities. Since then, there is a continuous study and learning on Independent Living, which later on was shared with their relatives, friends and colleagues.

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