TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Office of the Persons with Disabilities Affairs (OPDA) has already released the fourth quarter social pension for persons with disabilities.
Social Welfare Officer IV Marydhel Lattot of the Special Concerns Office said there were 185 PWDs who were assisted, and these individuals are suffering from extreme forms of disability that resulted to the impairment of their social functioning such as those with mental disability, cerebral palsy, those who are bedridden or confined to a wheelchair, totally dependent, and on maintenance medicine.
Lattot said P1,500.00 were given by the city government to each beneficiary to augment their immediate needs especially food items and medicines.
In a previous interview, she also mentioned that additional 20 PWDs are expected to be enrolled under the social pension next year after they were carefully selected from the thorough assessment, validation and home visit conducted by the staff of OPDA.
The financial assistance for PWDs also called social pension is a form of assistance offered by the city government in the amount of P500.00 per month and released quarterly to augment the medication and other relevant needs of a person diagnosed with a disability. It is just one of the services extended by the city government alongside the provision of assistive devices like canes, crutches and wheelchairs and is expected to reach out to more PWDs in the coming year.
City Mayor Darwin Estrañero vowed to continue his support to the welfare of PWDs here by ensuring sufficient fund allocation to the programs and services for them. By Darwin S. Serion
