The Caloocan City government conducted a two-day sign language and sensitivity training for city and baranggay personnel for an effective and inclusive delivery of service to residents who are deaf or those who experience difficulty in hearing.
The training, held at Buena Park in South Caloocan on Nov. 14-15, was spearheaded by Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) for city frontliners, barangay persons with disabilities (PWD) focal persons, and PWD groups.
The participants underwent the sensitivity training facilitated by inclusivity and accessibility advocates aimed at proper communication with people from different disability types, including visual, mental, intellectual, learning, speech, psychosocial, physical, cancer, and rare disease, the city government said.
PDAO Officer-in-Charge Micheal Ramos thanked Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan for supporting the department's initiatives that are aimed at helping the PWD communities in the city.
"Nagpapasalamat po tayo kay sa pagkakataon na matuto, kahit mga simpleng pamamaraan para makipag-usap sa ating mga kababayang bahagi ng deaf/hard of hearing community. Kaakibat din nito ang tamang pakikibahagi, pakikipag-usap at pakikisalamuha sa mga taong may kapansanan upang mismong sa ating mga frontliners magmula ang pagmamalasakit sa kanilang mga hinaing o pangangailangan (We are grateful for the opportunity to learn, even simple methods to communicate with our fellow citizens who are part of the deaf/hard of hearing community. It also involves proper sharing, talking and socializing with people with disabilities so that from our frontliners comes the concern for their grievances or needs),” he said.
Malapitan vowed to continue the efforts already initiated by the city government to create a safe space for all of his constituents, especially the PWD communities.
“Ang mga PWD po ay kasama rin sa mga Batang Kankaloo na nagtitiwala sa ating pamamahala. Hindi pwede sa akin na hindi buo ang serbisyong natatanggap nila mula sa pamahalaang lungsod dahil sa kanilang kapansanan kaya naman patuloy tayong gagawa ng paraan upang mas mailapit din ang aksyon at malasakit sa kanila (The PWDs are among the Batang Kankaloo who trust our leadership. It is not possible for me that the service they receive from the city government will not be complete because of their disability, that's why we will continue to make a way to bring the action closer and care for them),” he said.
“Mula sa mas maayos na komunikasyon, hanap-buhay, at iba pang mga benepisyo, gagawin po natin ang lahat ng kaya nating ibigay nang sa gayon ay maprotektahan natin ang karapatan at interes ng mga kapatid nating PWD (From better communication, employment, and other benefits, we will do everything we can to protect the rights and interests of our PWD brothers and sisters)," he added.