A 21-year old woman with cerebral palsy could not contain her happiness after receiving a free wheelchair from a religious group last week at the Sacred Heart Center in Cebu City.
Farrah Villamor, a person with disability (PWD) since birth, of barangay San Roque, Cebu City could hardly contain her joy on being told that she will receive a wheelchair.
Her mother Venus, a self employed sari-sari store owner, was told by a neighbor who is a Rotary Club member of a free wheelchair to be given by a religious group.
Villamor said at least now her daughter wouldn’t have to carry her wherever she goes.
Farrah has never been to school, but her mother plans to enroll her because bringing her to school on a wheelchair would now be easier.
Last Saturday, Farrah, accompanied by her daughter, was at the Sacred Heart Center to apply for a free wheelchair.
Wheelchair applications were assessed by the volunteers from the Rotary Club of Cosmopolitan San Juan in Metro Manila, the Rotary Club of Cebu West, with officials from the Mormon Church headed by Elder Hadlock, the Country Director of Latter-day Saints Charities and Elder Bautista, wheelchair specialist of LDS Charities.
At least 5,000 wheelchairs estimated to be worth P100 million will be given for free by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the Mormon Church to qualified beneficiaries all over the country, including Cebu.
The donations will be coursed through the Rotary Clubs, government and non-government organizations, which identified the beneficiaries in their respective community.
“We are giving these wheelchairs as part of the church’s humanitarian services not just here but in the whole world, because we want to help these PWDs fulfill their potential, be able to go to school and go to work,” said Bautista.
He said for every wheelchair, the beneficiaries’ representative need to render 40 hours of community service in their respective barangay as their counterpart.
Jose Luis Cupin, past director of Rotary Club of West Cebu said, they are coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) and other non-government organizations to identify beneficiaries in the region.
Cupin said the wheelchair has a serial number which makes it easier to check if the item is still used by the beneficiary.
Cupin said the damaged wheelchairs will also be replaced with a new one, provided their markings aren’t changed or replaced.
Beneficiaries or their representatives need to see their local social welfare department, the Rotary Club of Cebu West or leaders of the Mormon Church. /Correspondent norman mendoza