To study and raise concerns of people with disability is one of the main points of organizing the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) Research on Children with Disabilities in partnership with Leonard Cheshire Disability Philippines Foundation Inc. (LCDPFI) with Kabataang Aralin sa Lahat ay Ibahagi (KASALI) and Save The Children International (SCI), together with the Local Government of Parañaque in coordination with Barangay Operations Office through OIC, Cherwin Aguilar on September 17, 2014 held at Parañaque City Hall Conference.
This forum discussion aims to promote awareness to the public on the possible concerns of the parents, children and teachers assessed by Dr. Marie Grace Gomez, working as an assistant professor 5 Special Education Area, College of Education at The University of the Philippines Diliman. Furthermore, this aids the local government unit (city, municipal, government agencies, and barangays) to extend and promote protection, laws and privileges to children with disabilities (CWDs).
In connection to the forum, it tackles more on discussion headed by Dr. Gomez about the laws, programs, acceptance, needs of these children, acceptance and envision of the future of the children with disabilities.
Dr. Gomez initiated the participants that there is a law in regards to the rights for persons with disability that is very essential to the CWDs, the RA 7277 or AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE REHABILITATION, SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-RELIANCE OF DISABLED PERSON AND THEIR INTEGRATION.
In addition, participants shared their envisions and wish list for these children. “Institution sana sa mga batang may kapansanan, magkaroon ang mga bata ng kanilang mga pangarap, mayroon sana ng house to house na pagbibigay impormasyon. At mag-hire po sana ng taong may kaalaman sa kanilang sitwasyon o yung mga SPED,” (We hope that there is an institution for children with disabilities, these children should build hopes and dreams on their own, there should be a house to house interaction and meeting through informing people, and to hire people knowledgeable about their condition, or SPED)
With a total of 25 participants, the discussion was successfully done with the presence of one (1) staff from LCDPFI one (1) speaker, one (1) Bgry. Kagawad from Sun Valley, one (1) DSWD representative, nice (9) parents, three (3) children with disability and eight (8) Brgy. Operations Officers (BOO) .