Reaching beyond limits

There’s an NGO called Project Empower that’s focused on improving the quality of life of PWDs (persons with disabilities) and the youth. It recently rolled out an inspiring initiative called “Beyond Limits University Tour” where PWD athletes got the chance to share the court with varsity players from UP, Arellano and De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB) in 5x5 and 3x3 basketball. Another NGO Best Buddies Philippines which is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental diversities, participated in staging the campus tour.

At DLS-CSB, the visit was a one-day collaborative effort with the Benilde Center for Sports Development (CSD), School of Environment and Design, Center for Social Action, Center for Inclusive Education and School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies. Benilde CSD director Stephen Fernandez, a 1992 Barcelona Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo when it was a demonstration sport, described the affair as “not just a powerful celebration of sports but also a reminder that regardless of physical limitations and abilities, everyone deserves recognition and respect.” PSC commissioner Walter Torres, a 1992 Barcelona Olympic fencer, attended the adaptive sports program which he said “is really to encourage the PWD sector to be physically active and engage themselves in sports.”

Jhonel Ancheta, Gab Cometa, SJ Moore and Anton Eusebio were among the Benilde basketball players who welcomed the visitors at the Benilde Sports and Dorm Complex. Aside from the friendly 5x5 exhibition, they also played an adaptive 3x3 game.

Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, who bagged a bronze in powerlifting at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, was a guest and shared her journey in a stirring message. “Maganda ang sports kasi it’s a great equalizer,” she said. “Pag nasa court na tayo, pag nasa track na tayo, pag nasa competition venue na tayo, pantay-pantay na lahat. Ang pinaguusapan ay ang determinasyon at ang puso. Sana dumating ang panahon na mas magiging pantay at pareho yung pagtingin sa mga taong may kapansanan.”

Adeline was three years old when she was afflicted with polio that left her immobilized from waist down. At six, she was brought by her father Rosendo from their home in Kiangan, Ifugao, to Bahay Mapagmahal, a housing project for youth with disabilities, and enrolled at the School for Crippled Children, Philippine Orthopedic Center in Quezon City. At Bahay Mapagmahal, Adeline was influenced by a Belgian nun Sr. Ross Catry to take up sports as for over 10 years, she built strong arms using crutches and braces until becoming wheelchair-bound at 16. After high school, she earned a degree in Secretarial Administration at St. Paul’s, Quezon City and was later employed in a trading company before embarking on a sports career with the invitation to join a powerlifting competition by Clarito Isidro, a PWD, in 1997.

The program also featured performances from the Benilde Music Production, Benilde Blazers Pep Squad and Peggy Geiser, an award-winning neuroatypical artist on the autism platform. In other segments, architect Armand Eustaquio spoke on the 2024 amendments of the Accessibility Law and the guests did wheelchair simulation and blindfold-walking on tactile paving aside from taking lessons in Filipino sign language and Braille. Others who attended the event included director David Chua, Project Empower CEO JD Castro, Best Buddies executive director Michelle Aventajado, Best Buddies ambassadors Engineer Paolo Reyes and Clarence Cruz, disability rights advocate Gabriel Barba, Benilde associate professor Dr. Maribel Tubera and Benilde faculty Matthew Chua.