Editor’s note: The reporter sought the parent’s consent to interview her child and to publish the content across SunStar Davao’s platforms.
FOR 33-year-old single mother Jellia Fernandez, every day is a quiet struggle, not just for survival, but for dignity. It’s a fight she wages not only for herself, but for her eight-year-old son, Joshua, who was born with a cleft palate.
Joshua is one of the estimated 2.5 million Filipinos registered as Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as of 2025, according to the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). The figure reflects a sharp 35 percent rise from 1.8 million in June 2024, a number that represents not only improved identification but also the growing visibility of families like Jellia’s.
“Pait gyud kaayo. Ako ra isa nagpadako sa iya, wala man mi ginasuportahan sa iyang papa. Ang akoang trabaho, usahay naa, usahay wala. Ginapaningkamotan gyud nako nga makakaon siya (It’s really difficult. I raised him on my own without any support from his father. Work comes and goes, but I try my best to feed him),” Jellia shared in an interview during the Project Cherish piloted in her municipality.
Joshua’s father abandoned them when he was just seven months old. Since then, Jellia has been raising six children alone. Joshua, however, remains the most vulnerable.
Due to his condition, Joshua is not enrolled in school by his mother, fearing the ridicule he might face from classmates.
“Dili nako siya mapaeskwela kay bully-hon man siya (I can’t send him to school because he gets bullied),” she said. Still, despite being out of school, Joshua can already read and write.
The burden of stigma
Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common congenital conditions worldwide. In the Philippines, they occur in approximately 1 in every 750 births, though some studies suggest it could be as high as 1 in 500. An estimated 77,000 Filipinos live with cleft conditions, with nearly 64,000 still in need of surgery.
Cleft conditions happen when the tissues of the mouth and palate fail to fuse properly during fetal development. While the exact causes remain unclear, factors such as genetics, maternal diabetes, folic acid deficiency, and certain environmental exposures during pregnancy have been linked to the condition.
Treatment often involves multiple surgeries over time, speech therapy, and sometimes dental prosthetics, services that remain inaccessible for many low-income families.
“Wala gyud mi nadawat nga suporta gikan sa iyang papa. Usahay gabaligya kog bisan unsa sa terminal para lang masuportahan nako akong mga anak (We’ve never received support from his father. Sometimes I sell anything I can at the terminal just to support my children),” Jellia said.
Joshua underwent his first cleft operation in 2023, but it was unsuccessful. This year, however, there's renewed hope: with assistance from government medical social services and Davao-based Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc. (MCFI), Joshua may finally undergo a second surgery.
A lifeline through Cherish
Jellia is currently one of the parent-beneficiaries of Project Cherish, a community-based and disability-inclusive program launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The project provides financial assistance, therapy access, and rehabilitation support for children with disabilities and their families.
Formally launched on October 24, 2024, Cherish began pilot operations in three areas: San Jose de Buenavista (Antique), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), and Sta. Cruz (Davao del Sur). Each participating family receives a P10,000 monthly disability support package, which covers basic needs, healthcare, therapy, and caregiver training.
“Through Cherish, at least makatabang siya sa therapy ug pang-adlaw adlaw namo. Pero ang mas gikinahanglan namo, kay pagsabut sa komunidad (The program helps us with therapy and daily needs, but what we really need is understanding from the community),” Jellia said.
DSWD-Davao Assistant Regional Director for Operations Merlinda A. Paragamac said Sta. Cruz was chosen as the pilot site in Mindanao because of its clear and updated data on children with disabilities.
“Gipili namo ang Sta. Cruz sa Mindanao tungod kay adunay silay klaro nga data pag-abot sa hisgutanan nga children with disabilities (We chose Sta. Cruz in Mindanao because they have clear data when it comes to the subject of children with disabilities)”, Paragamac said, adding that they will provide social management cases and facilitate interventions needed by children like Joshua.
A call for inclusion
For families like Jellia’s, raising a child with a disability is a journey marked not just by medical challenges, but by deeply rooted social stigma. Bullying, lack of inclusive education, and limited access to services are just some of the barriers that prevent children with disabilities from living full lives.
“Pasalamat gyud kos tabang nga ing-ani” (I’m thankful for the help like this), Jellia said.
She dreams of a day when Joshua can walk into a classroom, make friends, and live without fear or judgment.
What is Project Cherish?
Project Cherish (Community-based Holistic Early Response and Intervention for Children with Disabilities) is a pilot program spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Social Technology Bureau. It aims to support children with disabilities and their caregivers through a range of inclusive and community-based interventions.
Among its key components is the provision of a monthly disability allowance ranging from P2,000 to P10,000 to help cover costs related to healthcare, therapy, education, and transportation. The program also includes capacity-building initiatives for parents and caregivers to equip them with skills for home-based care.
In addition, Project Cherish facilitates access to rehabilitation services and medical referrals, promotes community engagement to reduce stigma, and strengthens data management systems by linking disability registries to national databases such as Listahanan and the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disability (PRPWD).
Designed as a holistic response, Project Cherish is envisioned to serve as a model for nationwide implementation in the government’s broader effort to build a more inclusive social protection system. DEF