Blind Army officer to join fundraising run

Second Lieutenant Jerome Jacuba. PHILIPPINE ARMY

A blind junior Army officer who lost his eyesight from an improvised explosive device explosion during a clearing operation in Maguindanao early this year will join the 5th Heroes Run, a fund-raising event at Fort Bonifacio, later this month.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Army said that Second Lieutenant Jerome Jacuba will join the Heroes Run, an annual fund-raising event led by the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc., intended to benefit the families of fallen soldiers and those who were wounded in action, to be held on Oct. 30.

The event will also be held simultaneously in Iloilo and Davao, and in Baguio City on Nov. 13.

Jacuba, who remains confined at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center in Quezon City, will join the five-kilometer category. He will be assisted by his brother, Private First Class Joevanny Jacuba, an Army enlisted personnel.

President Rodrigo Duterte had an emotional moment with Jacuba during his visit to the hospital last August. The President was moved to tears and even hugged the young officer, who also turned emotional during their meeting. The blind officer gained attention since then.

READ: Duterte teary-eyed during encounter with blind soldier

“Joining the Heroes Run is a self-reaffirmation that I can still do something for the Philippine Army and for the families of my fellow soldiers in spite of my present circumstances,” Jacuba was quoted as saying.

“I also would want to set a good example to my daughters,” he added.

The 28-year-old officer has two daughters. The youngest, who is turning two years old, was only 22 days old when he last saw her.

“I will be running because I want to inspire the people and tell them that anyone can be a hero,” Jacuba said.

Jacuba could not see anything now except light perception after the tragic incident. He recently finished a six-week short course on Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA), which allows him to use basic computer features, such as word, excel, and power point.

The laptop installed with NVDA features was given to him by the President during a dinner in Malacañang on National Heroes Day last August 30. JE/rga