In The
News
14
Jan 2010 - ABV
Perpectives Article
(
a correction to the above artcle)
Below: An article
written by Gary Evans, ABV volunteer,
June 2010
On a bright
Friday morning in a quiet Dumaguete suburb the sign on the
gate said Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation. Past
the gate children played football on a patch of grass while
others painted under the shade of a wild Mangosteen tree.
The soccer players were young boys with Downs’ Syndrome,
Autism or deaf; many of the children painting were in wheel
chairs or had difficulty walking. There were babies in arms.
Analou Suan one of the founders of ONCAN runs GP Rehab one
of 25 non government organisations operating in Dumaguete.
The soccer game was boisterous and noisy while the painters
concentrated on their creations.
These were papier mache models of boats, hats, houses and
the obscure which they painted with the assistance of parents
or the centre’s occupational therapists.
There were success stories sitting in the shade.
Gabriel was six and his mother held his paint pot.
“He came here and could not walk or communicate very
well. With our help he is now able to attend grade one at
a government school,” Analou said.
“Anthony is 13 and was spotted sitting in a house in
a local village. The locals would not accept him because he
was disabled.
“Lea is seven years old a lamp fell on her set her alight
and she lost an arm. She was three months old.
“These are just two of our many success stories. With
our help Anthony and Lea are both now attending grade one
classes in government schools,” Analou said.
Many schools in the Philippines are not equipped to provide
the special facilities needed by the handicapped or disabled
but GP Rehab has addressed this issue.
With the help of Australian Business Volunteers 33 teachers
have visited GP Rehab for special training to address problems
for the handicapped or disabled. This training is now being
utilised in many government schools.
“This is a start but clearly we need more teachers to
be aware of the need for schooling of our special children,”
Analou said.
The centre also has its own workshop which produces wheel
chairs specially adapted to assist the handicapped.
Some have dividers in their seats to keep deformed legs apart;
others are fitted with high trays to allow those with upper
body disablements to use their arms and hands.
Like all charities GP Rehab depends on the generosity of people
to continue its good work.
Donations should be sent to:
Executive Director,
GP REHAB,
S.L. Teves Subdivision,
Calindagan,
Dumaguete City,
Oriental Negros,
The Philippines.
The
Great Physician
By
Paolo Philippe Shaver
21 July 2010
In the city of Dumaguete, Philippines there stands a building
tucked away in a small subdivision not so far from the busy
center of town.
The Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation is an organization
whose purpose is to support differently-abled people in their
struggle for inclusion in society.
They provide various services for children and youth with
disabilities such as: special education, physical and occupational
therapy, manufacture of wheelchairs and other assistive devices.
GPRehab has established a community based rehabilitation program
to spread awareness and values for parents and families of
disabled children and the community as a whole.
GPRehab started in Oroquieta City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines,
by a group of therapists, in 1996.
It was initially called the Physical Therapy Unit of Famas
Medical Clinic and after two years the clinic was moved to
a rented house which had more space for the patients. At this
time the center changed its name to The Great Physician Rehabilitation
Center.
A year later,they moved to a hospital facility and later to
Dumaguete City.
I had a chance to visit GPRehab recently and was able to talk
to Ivy, a regular who works at the center and is a student
at the Negros Oriental State University.
Ivy’s job is to provide assistance for the more senior
members of the staff.
“I mainly provide assistance to two senior workers here
when the children get out of control.
“I really feel a sense of fulfillment when I help the
kids,” Ivy said.
One mother at the centre , Lili, spoke about her son, Sean,
who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Before they found GPRehab, Sean was very difficult to handle.
He wouldn’t sit still in class; he couldn’t pay
attention to his teachers.
After they went to GPrehab and Sean underwent personal one-on-one
sessions with the foundation’s therapists he had become
a calmer, better behaved boy.
Another mother, Baby Micompal told a tragic story of how her
son, Gabriel, who was born 2 months premature suffered from
Cerebral Palsy.
Baby is a single mother who came to Dumaguete from Manila
without a peso in her pocket, pregnant and alone.
Hospitals were reluctant to accept her because of her situation
but they took her in eventually.
Because of medical complications, Sean had to be delivered
via c-section. Baby had no way of paying the hospital bills
but with the seemingly impossible kindness of a stranger who
offered to pay for dept to the hospital, Baby was able to
start a new life with her child.
Gabriel is now studying in East City elementary school, although
confined to a wheelchair given to him by GPRehab, he is a
happy and eager young boy.
He is showing improvement in his motor skills thanks to the
physical therapy sessions he receives, free of charge from
GPRehab.
It’s amazing how many people have been helped by The
Great Physician. If not for this wonderful organization it’s
hard to imagine what the lives of these less fortunate children
would have been. But thanks to them, children like Sean and
Gabriel have a chance at happier life.
[Paolo Philippe Shaver is a Communications student at
Silliman University]
Don’t
Dislike the Unlike
By
FLORENCE VI L. SANTOS
A woman with crutches on her left arm dashed towards
the gate to on our arrival.
She was wearing shorts and sleeveless top showing only one
arm.
She came
to us hesitantly, maybe wondering who we are, with no footwear
on. She let us enter and suddenly went inside because the
phone rang. She was Ate Cherryl in her mid-thirties,and has
been at Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation Inc. (GPRehab)
Dumaguete since it started in 2004.
GPRehab aims to support Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in
their fight for inclusion in society. It was started in Oroquieta
City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines, by a group of physical
therapists and occupational therapists, who noticed the urgent
need for low cost, high quality rehabilitation facility and
services. In its sixth year of operation, GPRehab has served
community based children and youth with disabilities and their
parents.
With Norwegian Agency for Deveopment Cooperation (NORAD) as
its sole funding source, it has extended its service to Dauin
and Valencia, serving more PWDs. At present, they are giving
free treatments to 134 beneficiaries with Down’s syndrome,
autism, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. There are
only two physical therapists, three occupational therapists
and three teachers to look after these people.
There is also a need for a doctor who will examine the condition
of every child.
“Naay mga bata nga mokalit rag kisi kisi or di ba kaha
mokalit rag bula ang baba. Ug naa mga bata nga sip.onon, ubhon,
mao nga kinahanglan tag doctor,” Cherryl said.
In the center, children have limited supplies of toys and
educational materials during classes. “Naay mga dulaan
pero guntingon man sa mga bata. Dili mi makapalit dayon kay
wala man mi kwarta,” she added.
In reality, persons are the objects of prejudices and discrimination.
There is no day when they can’t be criticized.
Cherryl recalled the times when she was first brought by her
mother to Dumaguete. Due to her physical state, the people
started throwing coins to her, thinking she is begging . “Dili
biya mi boang boang. Normal biya mi. Kung unsay ilang bation,
mao pod among bation. Pero lisod,” says Ate Cherryl
referring to the people who criticized her.
If only the government will give attention to persons with
disabilities, then many other Cherryls out there would go
out and proudly walk along the streets in the city, having
the feeling of belongingness and free from discrimination.
Inequality is very much present in our society. It may be
very hard for others to be thoughtful, sympathetic to these
persons. It may be hard for some to accept those with disabilities.
Analou Suan, Executive Director of GPRehab, said: “Acceptance
does not only mean loving the child with a disability.
“It means recognizing his rights and believing fully
in his ability to make changes in his own life, whether with
a greater or lesser degree of support.
“ It means showing willingness to go the extra mile
so that the very social structures that have presented obstacles
to his participation in society can be eliminated.
“It means recognizing the fear of ridicule and discrimination,
not as deterrents but rather as the driving force behind the
desire for change.”
[Florence
Santos is a Communication student at Silliman University.
Dumaguete City. The Philippines.
To
think of them too
By Kaiza Jay S. Abaincia 7/20/10
"The
message I'll share...is that inclusion is extremely important
for kids with and without disabilities." -- Clay Aiken
Cherryl, with her one leg and a crutch held by her left and
only arm, opened the gate for us when we arrived at the Great
Physician Rehabilitation Foundation Inc. (GPRehab) at S.L.
Teves Subdivision Calindagan, Dumaguete City.
She guided us inside the gateway and excused herself for a
moment when she heard the phone ring from the second floor
of the two-storey home.
We followed to find out to where she was going. We were amazed
of how quickly she moved and how efficient she was.
Cherryl is in her early thirties and has been GPRehab’s
caretaker and utility in-charge since it started in Metro
Dumaguete, Negros Oriental in 2004.
The organization originally was founded in Oroquieta Misamis
Occidental, by a group of physical therapists and occupational
therapists, who saw the need for low cost, high quality rehabilitation
services in 2000.
Funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
(Norad) and Norwegian Disabled Care Foundation (NDCF), the
main purpose of this project is to support Persons with Disabilities
(PWD) in their struggle for inclusion in society.
At present there are 134 patients who are looked after at
GPRehab Dumaguetemany with Down’s syndrome, Autism,
and Mental Retardation.
Unfortunately teaching and help resources are scarce., There
are only two physical therapists, three occupational therapists
and three teachers who attend those at GPRehab.
There is also a need for a doctor to attend to the physical
conditions of the children especially as most of their families
have no money for regular check-ups.
The number for toys and educational materials for kids is
limited too.
“Ang among mga gagmay bola, pangkit-kiton man, paakon,
guntingon,” says ate Cherryl. (The small balls that
we have, the kids nibble, bite and cut them).
GPRehab acknowledged the relevance of educating children with
disabilities.
People with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable to
prejudices and criticisms in society. Cherryl added that if
the children were not educated, they would not be able to
fight for their rights and demand a fairer environment.
Some children may be forced to hide from people who do not
understand why they are disabled.
Cherryl recalles when her mother brought her to Dumaguete
for the first time. When they stopped on street passersby
started dropping coins at her feet.
This kind of indifference towards PWDs inspired GPRehab Executive
Director Annalou Suan to walk the beneficiaries of the organization
along in downtown areas where scenes like these are common.
In a blog post she said, “acceptance does not only mean
loving the child with a disability. It means recognizing his
rights and believing fully in his ability to make changes
in his own life, whether with a greater or lesser degree of
support.
“It means showing willingness to go the extra mile so
that the very social structures that have presented obstacles
to his participation in society can be eliminated.
“ It means recognizing the fear of ridicule and discrimination,
not as deterrents but rather as the driving force behind the
desire for change.”
The funding of the GPRehab is contractual and expires every
three years. Cherryl’s chief plea is for the government
to also look at the concerns of the disabled.
They are also part of our society.
[Kaiza Jay S Abainca is a Communications student at Silliman
University]
