RIDE Extends Services to Persons With Disabilities
By Ludy Manalastas
Makati City- RIDE CEO Alfredo Celada Jr together with RIDE's Registered Sign Language Interpreters recently participated in the celebration of Persons With Disabilities Day (PWD) held at San Carlos Seminary in Makati City last Sunday, December 5, 2004. This outreach program was under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Manila in cooperation with Caritas Manila. Participants came from various SPED Schools, NGO's and other institutions catering to the marginalized sector of the society. This year's theme "Pinoy na may Kapansanan, Kapuso at Kapamilya kay Kristo” aptly described how the society should treat the differently abled as members of the Christian community.
Children and adults with hearing impairment, visual impairment, down syndrome, autistic, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities actively participated in the Eucharistic celebration, program, games, arts, and story telling sessions.
Aside from these activities, there was also a medical mission. The free medical, dental, ENT check-up was made possible with the participation of the volunteer doctors, specialists and other professionals directly involved in the medical mission. Since there were a lot of participants with hearing impairment, the assistance of sign language interpreters was really needed. RIDE Sign Language Interpreters were assigned in the medical mission. The interpreters assisted in the registration, medical check-up, dental services, audiological services, ENT services, and in the distribution of medicines. It was really a challenge specially for the new interpreters to assist the deaf in relaying the messages to the doctors; and vice-versa, conveying to the deaf the doctors' prognosis/diagnosis.
Kudo's to Sir Jun who painstakingly coordinated with Ms. Elisa and Ms. Pam of AMO PDM, the persons in-charge of the event in accommodating and assisting the RIDE interpreters. The interpreters who were present namely, Ma'am Letty Uy, Ma'am Sonia, Teacher Mike Potian, Emelie Gentalian, Heddy Casanas, Judith Delgado, Chris Sabayan, Ina Francisco, Ludy Manalastas, Cynthia Lopez, Nemia Abiday, Bing Hipolito, Ma'am Eva R. Eva, and Dra. Catherine Tuazon performed their assigned tasks to the best of their skills and abilities.
It was another learning experience for the interpreters to interact and have a hands-on exposure in medical sign language interpreting. This was the second time that RIDE Interpreters has joined a medical mission. It was not only a fulfilling activity but also a rewarding experience for the interpreters to be of service to our brothers and sisters with different handicapping conditions. We can proudly say that RIDE is always ready, willing, and able to lend a helping hand should sign language interpreting services are needed. Supporting activities and rendering services to the differently- abled members of our society is indeed a Christian virtue which we should develop among ourselves.