First Philippine Paralympics Summit to Rally Support for Para Athletes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Alay PARA Atleta Program launched; preparations underway for ASEAN PARA Games, Asian Para Games and Paralympic Games

The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) and the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) will hold the first Philippine Para Sports Summit that will focus on the Parlympic movement in the country on June 9, 2017 at the Microtel, Technohub in Quezon City.

PPC, the National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines and PHILSPADA are the organizations spearheading the activities and operational requirements of elite athletes with a disability (orthopedic disability, cerebral palsy, visual impairment and mental disabilities).

With the theme “Transcending Barriers Through Sports”, the one-day gathering of sports officials, athletes, coaches and trainers, sports doctors, marketing experts and policy makers who are the key players in the industry will look into the state of Paralympic Sports in the Philippines to identify local and international goals to enable Filipino para athletes to achieve sporting excellence to excite and inspire the world.

Another goal of the convention is to find ways to develop para sports as a tool for changing the lives of Filipinos with disabilities while contributing to the development of an inclusive society. One hundred participants are expected to attend from various sports organizations including national sports associations, non-government organizations, private corporations and the government sector.

The past decade saw the rise of Filipino Para athletes in the global arena such as Josephine Medina, the para table tennis player who gave the country its second Paralympics Bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, sixteen years after powerlifter, Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, got the first ever Bronze medal in the Sydney Paralympic Games in year 2000 and Ernie Gawilan, the legless swimming sensation discovered from Davao City, who is a consistent Gold medalist in the ASEAN Para Games ever since becoming a member of the national team. There has also been an increase in number of para athletes and their participation in local, regional and international competitions. Support and recognition from government and private partners, have also improved over the years.

The summit hopes to provide PPC-PHILSPADA with additional muscle and momentum as it strengthens itself to capably enact its comprehensive Mid-Term National Para Sports Development Program. The program will open up more opportunities for para-athletes from grassroots to the elite level of competitions.

With sights set on the 9th ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia this September 2017, the Asian Para Games in Indonesia in 2018, the 10th ASEAN Para Games in Manila and the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020, the para sports summit envisions key partnerships with government and private sector to further inspire and equip para-athletes who are only too eager to compete and do their part for the country’s glory.

Key speakers in the summit are: Chairman William I. Ramirez of the Philippine Sports Commission; Mr. Peping Cojuangco, President of the Philippine Olympic Committee; Michael Barredo, President of PPC-PHILSPADA; noted sports medicine expert Dr. Raul Canlas; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation expert, Dr. Raul Cembrano; Sec. General and former Olympic swimmer Gerardo “Ral” Rosario; para-coaches Joel Deriada of Athletics and Vernon Perea of Wheelchair Basketball; as well as para-athletes Gawilan, Medina and Dumapong-Ancheta.

An interesting sidelight of the event will be a Wheelchair Dance Sport exhibition while the high point of the summit will be the launch of the “Alay Para Atleta” program, a nationwide campaign that will enable the general public to participate in the Paralympic Movement via a P50 annual contribution through mobile phone access.

World Class Philippines Awards: Recognizing Top Filipino Brands and Achievers for 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Awards and recognition keeps us well motivated because of the thought that we are doing something right and it should then be sustained so we could accomplish greater achievements. It is also equally flattering to be sit down and converse with fellow awardees who are mostly like-minded individuals who aim for the best for themselves and their companies.

Thus, even though I failed to personally be there because of a community outreach program cum travel event that I joined all the way at Bontoc, Mountain Province, I would like to extend my special thanks to the World Class Philippines council for another recognition given to Wazzup Pilipinas. We are indeed honored to be among the awardees amidst several entrepreneurs and companies that all excel and provide world-class products and services.

With so many events that day, I couldn't get a correspondent to attend and cover the awarding that night of May 27 at the Ascott Hotel in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig city. But I thought it was the best opportunity to send my mother and brother instead so they could somehow see what I have accomplished so far. I know they are proud of me for winning the award I got for my Wazzup Pilipinas community blog which excels in the field of Multimedia Promotions and Opinion Blogging.

As proud as the other awardees in the awards night venue, my brother received the award in my behalf while my mother looks on. During that time I believe I was at barangay Mainit in Bontoc, Mountain Province still recuperating from my sore body after climbing Mount. Kopapei barangay Maligcong. But we were enjoying an equally sumptuous dinner prepared by our host house for the night coordinated with Virgie Lakey Chagyowen Kilito, the daughter of the house owner who was also one of our models together with his husband and granddaughter during a photo-shoot wearing some traditional clothes of the Igorots.

A Hero Among Us at Bontoc, Mountain Province

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Before we continue posting our Bontoc, Mountain Province exploration photo and vlog series, we would like to give special mention to Wesley, our road trip driver, who took extra effort to keep us safe (and satiated) on our way back home. He even made sure we got on the bus after we got left behind due to a misunderstanding on the departure time. On our jeepney, we literally chased the bus that left an hour ago.

The several days of rain caused many landslides along the road including that road travel was delayed due to an accident involving a van that got covered under one of the landslides. I just hope the victims survived after the rescue that took a long time to finish.

Our bus, along with many other vehicles, was stranded along the road due to the landslides.We waited for several hours in the bus hoping everything gets cleared up. The long hours of waiting got us worried because we did not have that much water and food with us. We were also afraid that the continuous rain may create more landslides that may put us in danger. Our bus driver even tried to stay away from the landslide prone area. The fact that it was night time and raining non-stop aggravated the situation.

However, we were surprised that Wesley came back for us at our bus, and offered to take us to a nearby resort where food and shelter awaits. We even invited others in the bus to join us so they could at least eat and freshen up.

What Wesley did was very admirable. Not too many people will brave through the unlit roads and cold and rainy weather just to come back for us.

Our travel cum community outreach with Meaningful Travels PH led by Ann Marie "Naknak" Cunanan could very well be the "travel-with-a-purpose" opportunity that many of us should be looking for. From the name itself, Meaningful Travels PH could definitely make your travels more meaningful and bring out the hero in you.

The least we suspected to rise above the heroes in our midst is our driver who stood out as a hero in our eyes. We never really thought he would exert that extra effort. I guess seeing how we also took effort in distributing the school supplies at far-flung areas of Bontoc, Mountain Province, the goodness in his heart came out and decided to do good himself....or he is truly good from the very start.

We salute Wesley for his heroism.