Mandaue mulls hike in allowance for persons with hearing disabilities

CEBU, Philippines – Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said he will ensure that the annual cash allowance for hearing-impaired individuals in his city will double to P2,000 next year.

He said he is optimistic that by November 2016, the deaf community members will be getting P2,000 each as they celebrate the yearly Deaf Awareness Week.

Last November, the more than 300 members of the Mandaue City Association of the Deaf (MCAD) received their financial assistance at the Social Development Center, City Social Welfare and Services (CSWS) compound where the Deaf Awareness Week opening was celebrated.

Last year's theme was "Making the Rights Real: Promoting Inclusive Deaf Friendly Communities."

Cortes said the city has enough funds to provide for the proposed increase.

For 2016, the Mandaue City Council has approved a P2.7 billion budget.

"The moral test of the government is how it treats those who are in the shadows of life, the deaf community," Cortes said.

For her part, Marlou Agbay, president of MCAD, said they appreciate the present administration's response to their needs.

Meanwhile, Councilor Jun Cortes, chair of the Council Committee on Social Services, said the city aims to empower its deaf people by exposing them to sports and various interactive activities like what they did last November.

"Wala'y koneksyon ang pagka-deaf ug ang pagka-bright sa usa ka tawo. Kini nagpasabot nga unsa'y mahimo sa mga 'hearing persons' mahimo usab sa deaf persons," he said. (FREEMAN)