Dear Fellows and Friends in the Sector;
As I enjoin everyone to participate in the Angels Walk for Autism, January 18, 2009 at 7:00 AM at the Mall of Asia, may I take the liberty to advance an advocacy for solidarity.
The Autism Consciousness Week (January 18 to 25) happens to be the first major event of the year to highlight disability focused concerns. The Autism Society Philippines ASP, perhaps, being the most credible and most active organizations of parents and friends, including professionals is also the largest membership fee paying groups that I know. Unlike most organizations whose members refuse to pay fees and would rather just wait to get benefits (including at times even the officers), ASP has grown to 37 chapters nationwide whose members and supporters are willing to share their resources. In my decades of involvement in any group(s) in the sector, including unions and federations, one can count in their fingers organizations with such nature. These over 6,000 members are now accomplishing recognitions and honors even outside the country.
In the global Digital Accessible Information System DAISY movement, ASP is consistently invited to trail blaze the efforts to make this technology utilizable to people with cognitive conditions. This is in spite of the fact that parents and organizations of parents are taken as second class citizens in the PWD sector.
As I highlight ASP, it is however my intention to encourage organizations of, for and by Persons with Disabilities to look at certain valuable and practical lessons.
1. Exclusive groupings (blind only, deaf only, disabled only, parents only are no longer of the Era when "INCLUSION and Equality" have found their real meanings. If exclusive grouping(s) is to be respective, it must be organized with the objective to reach out and work harmoniously with the rest of the world and that is inclusion and solidarity.
2. Free Lunch membership is counter productive. It makes members and officials either as indignified beggars and or proud and corrupt. It cultivates inferior to superior relationship bearing the fruits of mendecancy on one hand and domineering rulership on the other hand.
3. The impression or perhaps a real impression of weakness, insecurity, immature jealousy, destructive rivalry and dishonor.
In presenting this views, I wish to bring about the preception for the imperative of togetherness in diversity. Movement For All, Working For All, Struggling For All and Benefit For All. All these are realizable if we see the Beauty of Investment Of All and Cooperation of All, which is in effect is equality.
As we start working together, let 2009 be a year to start Working For All relationship of all disability groups, in partnership with non disability groups, the government and the whole world.
Certainly, we can do these beneficial For All movement. Aren't we as we claim,,, Enlightened and Liberated sector(s)?
Working For All for the Benefit of All is the very essence of Human Rights. The Right Based Paradigm is in fact the Right of All and For All principles. Not only for persons with disabilities, but For All Humans, including the non PWDs, the parents, our friends, our allies and the rest of mankind, in government and non government sectors all over the globe.
So as we greet People with Autism God bless, let's too work with each other so as we can be in real togetherness looking after the good of all and the dignity of all. This is EQUALITY and INCLUSION and SOLIDARITY!! !
Your fellow and friend,
Lauro
(This is an email from Ka Lauro to the this_able_phils group)
This is Diosa. She has learning disability and several months ago she developed left sided weakness of the body and extremities compounding her mobility limitations. There was no fanfare, the wheelchair was given to her and her response was a gem. She sat down on her wheelchair, gave us a sweet smile and said, "thank you po".
This is Asher. He has weakness of both lower extremities since birth. He is introvert and shy but generous with his smile. His excitement was not evident but you can feel it. He was accompanied by his mother and niece when he got the wheelchair. They were both expressive of their gratefulness that now Asher would be able to move around more freely.
This is Allan. His lower extremities got paralyzed several years ago because of thoracic spine problem probably Pott's disease. He already has a wheelchair, unfortunately it wasn't suited to his needs and prolonged use may have brought more problems than benefits. His new wheelchair now provides mobility with better ease and comfort. He is a jolly person. He expresses willingness to learn more about independent living and participate in our activities.
Aaron has autism. He was the last one to arrive on this day we released the wheelchairs. With him were his mother Bobot and his two siblings. Mommy Bobot is active in participating in activities not just for the Autism Society but in the Persons with Disabilities sector in general.
Here we are, last picture before we ended the day. On the right wearing a dark shirt is Teody, then Abner (the genius-looking guy with glasses), Aaron, Jun, behind us in dark green shirt is Bea, next is the sister of Aaron, and Mommy Bobot.
