I am very elated at this very point to share my story as a woman with disability. A woman physically incomplete but with full confidence and strong faith my life changed.

I was born in a good full-term condition. At the age of one, I got sick and rushed to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed the presence of poliomyelitis that caused my lower extremities weakened. And that started my disability.

When I started my schooling, my mother is always with me to attend to all my needs (hatid-sundo but most of the time, binabantayan nya ko sa classroom). Noong ako’y nasa Grade IV to VI, doon ko na naransan ang mga pangangantiyaw ng aking mga kaklaseng lalake at ang iba  naman lagging sinasabi “kawawa sya, ano?bakit kasi sya nakasaklay?” ‘Di ko na lang pinapansin at parang di ko naririnig ang mga sinasabi nila… Every closing exercise, mas tumatak sa isip ko ‘yung hiya at kantiyaw ng aking mga kaklaseng lalake kaysa dun sa award o honor na tinatanggap ko. Natapos ko ang elementarya na lagging ganoon ang nararanasan ko na ‘di ko na lang sinasabi sa nanay at teacher ko.

Pumasok ako sa isang paaralan sa sekondarya dahil ito lamang ang eskuwelahan na malapit sa amin, ang mga pampublikong paaralan ay nasa bayan lahat. Ang paaralang ito ay may dalawang palapag ang mga gusali. Dito ko naranasan ang matapilok, madapa, mahulog at makarinig pa rin ng pangangantiyaw. Sa paaralang iyon kasama ko na lamang ang aking pinsan. Closing program naming noong first year kami ng tatanggapin ko ulit ang akingawards paro ng makita ko angst age na mataas, ‘di na ko um-attend sa programa naming. Doon nabuo sa isip ko at kalooban na tatapusin ko na lamang ang aking pag-aaral bilang isang ordinaryong estudyante, walang awards, basta makatapos lang at hanggang sa classroom na lang ako. Doon lumaki ang takot at self-pity ko. Lalo nan g makita ko ang maraming activities sa school na di naman ako pwedeng sumali. I finished high school with fearful heart, self-pity but tried to console my feelings, I still thank the Lord for this is his blessing.

Because of my condition, I thought of not going to college but my mother and my cousin encouraged me to do so. Thus, we went to Tuguegarao City. However, the challenges started. Sa bus pa lang, hirap na hirap na akong sumakay at ang hirap na ito ay tuloy-tuloy ng ako ay pumasok sa unang kolehiyo na aking pinasukan.

I took up Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. To make things a little bit easier for me, my parents decided to get a chaperone for me who took care of my needs while studying.

The first day of school proved to be full of challenges. First, I have to walk from the gate to the last building and from the second floor and fourth floors were my classes were being held. At the onset, the schools Administration  allowed  my chaperone to enter the school’s premises to fetch me, however, the security personnel would no longer allow her to enter the school’s premises as the days went by stating that only the chaperone of the kindergarten pupils are allowed to enter the premises. I just completed my first semester in that school and looked for another school who will consider my situation. And I finished my degree in that second school.

The challenges did not end when I earned my degree. In my first job application in a private company, there were four of us applicants and the they got the male applicant. I also experienced losing the job just because  I lost in the “toss-coin” game for among the applicants, only two of us were left and they only need one.  While this experiences dampen my spirit at the onset, these also inspired me to persevere more, with the encouragement of my family and friends.

My struggles as a Person with Disability are too many to share but I triumphed over them. I am also blessed to be a part of some organizations that developed my social skills and leadership abilities. In Katipunan ng may Kapansanan sa Pilipinas, Inc.,  or KAMPI where I was able to attended a leadership training for women with disability. Through them also, I was selected as one of the trainee in japan for two months on leadership training for persons with disability.

Needless to say, the learning brought by these training and seminar helped and developed me as a person.  I came home equipped with knowledge and strong determination to stand for my fellow PWDs, to exercise my rights and to knock the door of different agencies to implement the different laws for PWDs.

From there, I organized my fellow PWDs from barangay level to the municipal level. Presently, I am the Executive Vice President of Women with Disabilities in the region.

As a woman, I have come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that is unique and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and find the way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard and having faith to lead.

Within us, we have the power to create, nurture and transform a society… thus, we make change work for women.

Happy Women’s Day to all of us! ###