Promote Welfare, Foundation Vows of Handicapped Ilonggo Children

by Alex P. Vidal

The executive director of the reorganized Iloilo Mercy Foundation for the Handicapped, Inc. (IMFHI) has vowed to prioritize the promotion of welfare of handicapped children in Iloilo City.
Sister Sandra C. Alejo, F.I., a social worker by profession, and executive director of IMFHI, said since the foundation was reorganized, reentered and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 26, 2001, it has engaged into networking with other non-government organizations (NGOs) and government agencies especially the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Iloilo.
She identified these agencies as the Iloilo Code NGO, Iloilo Council of Social Development, Association of Disabled Persons, Inc. and Philippine Association of Social Work, Inc. (PASWI).
Formerly known as the Philippine Band of Mercy-Iloilo Chapter (PBM-Iloilo), IMFI is a non-stock, charitable, non-government foundation established to promote the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWD), especially the physically and mentally handicapped children, youth and elderly with congenital deformities, said Alejo.
Some of the deformities are known as cleft-lip and cleft-palate medical cases and other disabilities acquired through illness or accident.
Alejo, 69, said the foundation has served Western Visayas since 1975. Its primary purpose is the rehabilitation through medical and surgical of handicapped children, youth and elderly.
She stressed that most applicant/patients came from poverty stricken families often from far-flung areas and hard-to-reach areas of Iloilo province and nearby provinces of Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
“Often, these handicapped-member families have no access to medical and surgical treatment because they cannot afford the fees,” Alejo explained.
The foundation envisions that Filipinos with disabilities both physical and mental are “to enjoy the access to health services as a right especially in Western Visayas to affordable but quality medical and surgical treatment regardless of economic, social status in life as getting admitted to hospital/clinic for medical and surgical treatment.”
Poor handicapped children must be given top priority, Alejo said.
Meanwhile, some of the programs and services of IMFHI are: for medical and surgical assistance—1. laboratory examination, medical check-up; 2. medical/surgical repairs of congenital deformities, especially cleft-lip and cleft-palate, and other deformities acquired through illness and accident; preventing blindness through cataract treatment in children and especially elderly; 3. preventive medicine through primary health care program, barangay/community-based identified by IMFHI; conducting training to primary health care workers; 4. conducting dental and medical mission to far flung and hard-to-reach areas in Iloilo province whenever requested as to provide medical check-up and low-cost medicines; and 5. provision of artificial leg, artificial eye, other prosthesis.
Also, for preventive measures as having Mother Candida Eq Center for children, an early childhood education program, an alternative approach to learning using EQ (emotional intelligence of Daniel Goleman as core learning experiences with an inclusion program; educational assistance to children and youth with disabilities and social work intervention: social casework and group work; helping families through women’s organization augment family income through livelihood projects or IGP (income generating projects) in identified areas.
Officials of the IMFHI are: Julia C. Benedicto as honorary president; and Board of Trustees led as president and chairperson by Erlinda Liberiaga , Atty. Felipe Macahilig as first vice president for internal affairs, Elizabeth Lacson as second vice president for external affairs, Dr. Therese F.P. Muyco as secretary, Sister Alejo as treasurer and executive director, and Fr. Manuel Vergara, OSA as assistant treasurer. /MP