Deped 11, NGOs unite in helping elementary pupils
-A A +ATuesday, February 26, 2013
WORDS couldn't just simply express how happy the children with special needs were after they received a free medical check up in a joint initiative of government and non-government organizations Thursday, last week.
The students, under the Special Education (Sped) program of the F. Bangoy Elementary School, were chosen as recipients of the medical mission to culminate the celebration of the National Intellectual Disability Week of the Department of Education (DepEd).
The medical mission was held at the school gym, located along Kilometer 11, Barangay Sasa, this city.
Dubbed as "Towards Dignity and Quality of Life," well-meaning indviduals, including doctors, spared a little of their time helping the children with special needs.
Through DepEd Memo No. 8 series of 2013, students of Sped program nationwide received free medical care.
Davao City Division Education Program in Special Education head Elsa Maglapid said the one-day activitiy was aimed at giving importance to the lives of other people and respecting the children with special needs.
"We honor our special education students na ang buhay dito sa mundo ay napakakulay. Kahit ganito ang kapalaran natin, mapalad tayo, pinagpala tayo ng ating Diyos," Maglapid said.
Through the medical mission, not only did it fill the need of the students for medical health care but also it helped them feel that there are people around who care for them.
"In a few months, they will feel tha they belong to this society, ma-feel nila na sila pala ay walang pinag-iba sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanila," Maglapid said.
Marcelina Malarbas, one of the seven school teachers under the school's Sped program, was grateful that her school was among the four pilot shools for the Sped program in the city, which drew the attention of DepEd and NGOs.
"We are very much thankful sa mga taong nasa likod nito. Today we have new faces to our pupils here, na sila pa
ay walang pinag-iba, they didn't belong to the so called third world, pantay ang kanilang pananaw na sila ay namumuhay katulad natin," Malabarbas said.
The medical mission was backed by the City Health Office (CHO), Philippine Air Force (AFP) and other partner NGOs.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on February 27, 2013.
Lifestyle
Forum rules: Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the discussion. Be coherent and respectful. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!
