CAGAYAN de Oro City marked the beginning of its fifth annual 'Search for the Most PWD-Friendly Barangay' on Monday, October 2.
City Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff, Shiela Lumbatan said the occasion was graced by the presence of Mayor Rolando Uy, Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, and City Administrator lawyer Hilario Roy Raagas.
The launching event coincided with the national flag-raising ceremony in the city hall quadrangle.
The theme for this year's event is "Aksesibilidad at Karapatan ng mga Taong may Kapansanan: Daan tungo sa Sustenableng Kinabuksan na Walang Maiiwan." In English, this translates to "Accessibility and Rights of Persons with Disabilities: A Path Towards a Sustainable Future Where No One is Left Behind."
According to Lumbatan, overseeing the launch was the Technical Working Group, under the leadership of Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) Head, Maria Liza Corpuz.
The group is a collective of various departments from the Local Government Unit of Cagayan de Oro (LGU-CDO).
During the event, Corpuz shared her joy over the recent benchmarking activity carried out in the city by the Municipal Development Council (MDC) of Baggao, Cagayan Valley.
“We've achieved significant progress in the past five years. However, our ambition doesn't stop here," said Corpuz, adding that they aim to continue pushing until the city's local government is fully PWD-friendly.
Corpuz acknowledged the indispensable support from Mayor Uy, the 20th city council, and lawyer Raagas in making their goal a reality.
She expressed her gratitude towards them, saying, "Thank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being PWD-friendly."
Meanwhile, Lumbatan said the contest recognizes the efforts of both numbered and named barangays.
She said the winners of the competition will be announced at a ceremony in December.
Cash prizes of P50,000, P40,000, and P30,000 are set for the first, second, and third winners respectively, said Lumbatan.
According to her, this initiative is a testament to the city's commitment to empowering its disabled residents.
It represents an earnest effort to promote inclusivity and ensure that no one is left behind in their pursuit of a sustainable future, she stressed.
She further added,
"By encouraging our barangays to become more PWD-friendly, we're not just improving accessibility and rights for persons with disabilities," Lumbatan said.
We're also building a more compassionate community, one that values everyone's contribution towards creating a sustainable future, she said adding that is what this initiative truly stands for.
