The Pasig City government, led by the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO), gave free 200 wheelchairs to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) on Monday, Nov. 28.
The turnover ceremony was held at the Pasig City Hall Quadrangle, attended by Mayor Vico Sotto, Vice Mayor Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr., the 11th City Council, the program beneficiaries, and other esteemed guests.
The wheelchairs were donated by Operation Blessing (OB) Foundation Philippines Inc., a non-profit organization and the humanitarian arm of the Christian Broadcasting Networks (CBN) Asia.
OB extends help to the vulnerable sectors of society through medical missions, disaster response and relief operations, as well as children’s educational and health programs.
Peter Kairuz, president of OB Foundation, and Coney Reyes, Sotto’s mother and an OB Board of Trustees member, graced the ceremony.
Kairuz and Reyes thanked the local government of Pasig for partnering with them on the project.
Likewise, Sotto expressed his gratitude for the foundation, saying the wheelchairs will be very helpful to the city’s seniors and PWDs.
A week prior to the distribution, PDAO appealed to the public to register Pasigueno senior citizens or PWDs who are in need of wheelchairs for the program.
The confirmed eligible individuals were the beneficiaries of the wheelchairs during the ceremony.
PDAO has ramped up its efforts to provide equipment and tools needed by PWDs to increase their mobility and productivity in their daily activities.
Last Nov. 16, PDAO also distributed free prosthetic leg and arm braces to 32 amputees in an awarding and fitting event.
The local government conducts these programs to make Pasig a more “PWD friendly” city.