Groups of persons with disabilities can now start their chosen livelihood projects as the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) provided them with electronic vehicles that they can operate to roll out their transport businesses.
Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez of the DSWD’s Operations Group, representing Secretary Rex Gatchalian, led the turnover ceremony of the electric vehicles to the 20 SLP Associations of 2,300 persons with disabilities on Friday (February 21) at the agency’s Central Office in Quezon City.
Implemented under the Persons with Disabilities Electric Transportation Services (PWD-ETS) project, each SLPA composed of 115 members will manage one electric vehicle.
Secretary Gatchalian, in his message delivered by Undersecretary Romualdez, said the project is in response to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to provide opportunities to the persons with disabilities sector to ensure that they will not be left behind in development.
“Binuo ng DSWD ang PWD-ETS project na ang layunin ay matugunan ang mga alalahanin nila sa kabuhayan at para magkaroon sila ng modernong proyektong pang transportasyon,” the DSWD chief said.
The PWD-ETS was pilot implemented in 2023 with an initial 10 SLPAs as beneficiaries and was later on expanded to include more 10 SLPAs from the cities of Las Pinas, Manila, Caloocan, Pasay, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan, Muntinlupa and Quezon City.
Aside from the electronic vehicles the SLPAs were also given capacity building activities to ensure that they can manage their livelihood projects.
Representing the SLPAs, Leigh Ann Banayat of the Mandaluyong SLPA expressed the groups’ gratitude to the DSWD for creating this unique and responsive program, becoming an instrument for the persons with disabilities sector to engage in worthwhile projects.
Banayat encouraged her fellow persons with disabilities to strive hard as each has skills to contribute to the society.
Caloocan South PWD-ETS SLPA President Nilo Delos Reyes, for his part, said: “Sa lahat ng proyekto (ng DSWD), bumilib ako dito at ito ay pangmatagalan. Nabigyan ang mga persons with disabilities ng pagkakataon, maging ang mga magulang ng mga children with disabilities, na magkaroon ng pagkakakitaan at makatulong sa kapwa.”
Capacitated on entrepreneurial and management, the SLPAs engaged the Global Electric Transportation (GET) Inc. Philippines as their chosen service providers.
GET Philippines President Sigfrido Tinga also thanked the DSWD and the SLPAs for giving them the opportunity to work with such a project that will positively impact on the lives of persons with disabilities.
The GET executive added that this project also addresses the transportation obstacles faced by those with mobility issues as the electronic vehicles are equip with ramps for wheelchairs and other accessibility features.
As part of the ceremonial turnover, the DSWD and partners tested the functionality of the vehicles.
The DSWD officials who witnessed the turnover were Undersecretaries Emmeline Aglipay Villar and Fatima Aliah Dimaporo; Asst. Secretaries Florentino Loyola Jr. and Elaine Fallarcuna; Director Miramel Garcia-Laxa of the SLP National Program Management Office; Asst. Regional Director Bienvenido Barbosa of the DSWD-National Capital Region; and Deputy Executive Director Dandy C. Victa of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).