Carmona opens 'Kalingyakap' shelter for PWDs
At A Glance
- The program, which recently earned international recognition through the United Nations Public Service Awards, provides integrated services for persons with disabilities.
CAVITE – The city government of Carmona held the blessing of its Kalingyakap Integrated Shelter Support and Services in Barangay Milagrosa on Friday, July 31.
Present during the event were Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic C. Remulla and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sec. Rex Gatchalian, who served as guests of honor and speakers during the event.
Also present were Gov. Francisco Gabriel "Abeng" D. Remulla, Vice Gov. Ram Revilla Bautista, Cavite 5th District Rep. Roy Loyola, Mayor Dahlia A. Loyola, other local officials, and Tomas Delos Santos of the Delos Santos Family Foundation, a major sponsor and partner of the Kalingyakap Shelter.
“Sana ang Kalingyakap ay magpaalala sa atin na (Hopefully, Kalingyakap will remind us that) true progress is not measured by how much we build, but by how many lives we embrace and we touch,” Mayor Loyola said.
The Kalingyakap center features various facilities for persons with disabilities (PWDs), including classrooms and areas for speech, physical, and occupational therapies.
At present, 368 PWD learners are under the Kalingyakap program, including college students pursuing their tertiary education in partnership with the Cavite State University.
The center also has a shelter for neglected and abandoned PWDs. It can accommodate 20 male and 20 female residents.
Gatchalian said Carmona's progress is measured not only by its achievements in various sectors, but also by its commitment to inclusive governance and caring for PWDs.
“The mark of a truly progressive city is how the city takes care of its citizens, more so those who are poor, marginalized, and vulnerable,” the DSWD secretary said during his speech.
The DILG secretary, meanwhile, congratulated the city government on the establishment of the integrated shelter and expressed optimism over the upcoming construction of a Philippine General Hospital (PGH) facility in Carmona, a project initiated when he was still the Cavite governor.
He urged the public to look beyond politics, saying political differences are temporary and should not overshadow the shared goal of public service.
“Ang pulitika, hindi permanente yan… Magkakasama tayo dahil gusto nating mas maliwanag ang ating kinabukasan. Nagsasama tayo dahil gusto nating mas maganda ang patutunguhan ng ating mga anak, at gusto natin, higit sa lahat, na magbago ang Pilipinas at umunlad tayong lahat (Politics is temporary. We are united because we want a brighter future. We come together because we want a better future for our children and, above all, we want the Philippines to change and we want all of us to prosper),” Remulla said.
Social worker Jeanette F. Buendia told the media that Kalingyakap is now processing applications for admission to the shelter and is set to welcome its first residents within the next few weeks.
