Hi! My name is Froy. I am a Filipino-American and been disabled since I was 16 (I am now 45 years of age). I stumbled upon the posting of Miss Mae regarding "Dealing with Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)" in Jose Carillo's English Forum. Though I prefer to speak in Tagalog; I am not sure if all of you (people who participated in this discussion) are Filipinos or not. So, I decided to write this in English since the discussion were written in English anyway.
Miss Mae, I believe that we share the same sentiment. I've been wanting to do something to help out my fellow countrymen with disability. I have several ideas; however, a "one-man-army" isn't feasible especially when I have restricted financial resources to hire other people to make any of these ideas come to reality.
Being born and raised in the Philippines, I know and understand how tough it can be to live in such condition and situation when it comes to accessibility in the Philippines. I am one of those lucky and blessed individual who were able to migrate in the U.S. for a better fulfilling life. My parents did their best to get me out of the Philippines as they see me having a tough life as a person with disability living in the Philippines.
I became disabled when I was a senior in high school. I did not even get a chance to finish my high school education there. We migrated here in the U.S. where I finished all my schooling. Anyway, I am now in the stage of my life where I want to give and help my fellow countrymen with disability. I may not have the financial resources or material things to give but I do have lots of skills, knowledge, and experiences to share that can help them live a happy and fulfilling lives. I believe in the saying, "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". I'd like to help and teach them how to fish.
I would like to ask Miss Mae and everyone who participated in the discuss if you are also a person with disability?
Have you decided to pursue anything related to this?
I'm pretty sure that I am not the only Filipino-American with a disability, don't you agree?
Perhaps, getting us (Filipino with disability abroad) involve in helping Filipinos with disability living in the Philippines would be a great idea. What do you think?
There are so many funding (not just here in the U.S.) for people with disabilities that we can tap-in to help Filipinos with disability. We just need to put our heads together and come up with a plan.
