Japan to donate 80 refurbished wheelchairs for handicapped children

MANILA, Philippines — The Japanese government will turn over to the Philippines on Tuesday 80 refurbished wheelchairs for the use of handicapped Filipino children.

Japanese embassy economic affairs minister Akio Isomata will lead the turnover rites at the Jesus V. del Rosario Foundation in Makati City.

Under the project, The Volunteers Group to Send Wheelchairs to Overseas Children, a Japanese non-government organization, gathered 80 used wheelchairs in Japan and sent them to the Philippines after refurbishing them for renewed use, the Japanese Embassy said.

It added that the wheelchairs were granted to five facilities for children with disabilities in Metro Manila.

The Japanese government funded the cost of refurbishment and transportation of these wheelchairs through the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO projects, which amounted to Y801,180 (about P400,000).

The embassy was motivated to help handicapped children this way due to the costly prices of wheelchairs in the Philippines, and facilities taking care of handicapped children have been having a hard time securing adequate numbers of wheelchair.

“Occasionally, due to the lack of wheelchairs for children, they are forced to use adult-sized wheelchairs,” it added.

Japan’s Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects started in the Philippines in 2002.

Since then, the Japanese government has disbursed P1.65 million pesos for 27 projects in the Philippines under the scheme.

“Japan believes that this project will strengthen not only friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines, but also the existing strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines,” the embassy said.