Minister Keizo Takewaka, Deputy Chief of Mission, will attend the turn-over ceremony of “The Project for Construction of Training Center for Persons with Disability,” on 22 February 2013. The project, amounting to US$ 91,127 (approximately 3.9 million pesos), is funded through the Embassy of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
The ceremony coincides with the 40th Anniversary of the proponent of the project, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc (TWH) . In this occasion, President of the Philippines Beniguno Aquino III is going to make a visit to the Training Center which was funded by the Japanese government.
In the Philippines, marginalized sectors of the society, such as Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), are not necessarily funded sufficiently for education and employment. The facilities that provide special education or skills training to PWDs are also scarce throughout the Philippines.
Tahanang Walang Hagdanan is a non-government organization, established in 1973 that aims to uplift the lives of the PWDs and improve their standard of living through programs and services such as education, training and empowerment, livelihood, mobility, and medical assistance. Currently, more than 800 PWDs in the Rizal Province, are taking advantage of these services. Currently TWH is facing lack of space for trainings at the ir compound in Cainta, Rizal. PWDs have to have trainings at walkways, lobbies or small rooms of their dormitory.
With the grant assistance, TWH has construct ed a new training center with a capacity of 500 people, and also purchase d necessary equipment for training such as a projector and a screen. The new facility will be able to accommodate various training for around 3,800 people each year. TWH will also use the facility for tours designed to disseminate the conditions of PWDs and various activities of TWH to students and local business people.
The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor for the Philippines, launched the GGP in the Philippines in 1989 for the purpose of reducing poverty and helping various communities engaged in grassroots activities. As of February 2013, 469 grassroots projects funded by GGP – ranging from roughly 1 to 4 million pesos – have been implemented by NGOs, local government units and other non-profit organizations. The total grant for these projects so far amounts to US$ 22.6 million . Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute to fostering a strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.
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