Of pain and privilege

“Pain is a gift nobody wants” so wrote our Pastor Joey.

But what do we call a gift that ends up becoming a pain rather than a blessing?

For sometime now, I have learned of several instances where people who have enough pain and problems are given added hurt by ordinary people like us, because we can’t think out of the box, work outside the system, or for God’s sake simply open our eyes to recognize that some people in front of us, do have special problems as well as privileges!

We are either too lazy, too selfish, too scared or just don’t give a damn to make a difference so that others, especially children could feel, better or safer.

Would it hurt you to show some act of kindness to a parent or a fellow human being who already has what “you” might call a curse?

I have for some time, been on the Board of Directors for the Center for Possibilities a foundation set up to help “Special Children” and their special parents, to deal with the complex responsibility of caring for the “mentally” challenged, from Autism, ADHA, ADD, and other forms of mental retardation.

Needless to say, parents have it tough.

But what makes it cruel is when the supposedly normal people act so indifferent or incapable of empathy or thought concerning special needs and special privileges.

In one case, I heard of a mother who gave up her job, her career to care full time for her mentally handicapped child. To take things a step further, she went to enroll for a second degree as a Special Education teacher. She was denied because she did not have the 18 units of pre-education subjects related to SPED.

This of course caused howls among SPED teachers because the mother had a special need, had years of “hands-on” experience with a special child. If the institution of learning had taken the time to “STUDY”, they might have ended up being mentors to the mother. Instead they became tormentors.

Unfortunately torment comes even to those protected under the law, in two previous columns, I wrote about my friend whose daughter died at the age of five. Her name was Minuet Ashley Ticzon Calleja. Her parents are my friend Atty. Howie Calleja and Dr. Marla Ticzon Calleja.

What started out as a “low grade fever followed by arthritis” turned out to be a virulent case of Lupus where the auto-immune system of the body turns on itself. 

In the case of Minuet and many like her, a law called the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability exists in order to insure that those who have less in life would have more under the law. It is designed to require companies to extend full assistance and priority to persons with disability ranging from discounts, accommodations, employment and even the architectural design of buildings.

I recently learned that this particular law was crafted into life by one of the first and original columnists of the Philippine Star Mr. Art Borjal when he was in Congress. Those who remember Mr. Borjal know that he was stricken with polio and moved about aided by a crutch.

Unfortunately, Minty’s parents soon discovered that the law has little or no significance to employees of major corporations and medical facilities. When the Callejas’ flew Minty to Singapore for a second opinion, they were not given priority to be seated in front of the bulkhead in spite of showing up two hours early for the flight. They were told that the seat had been reserved and were not allowed to speak with the people who were given the seats, who, it turned out were friends of the Callejas’.

Given past history, I am appealing to both Mr. Jimmy Bautista of PAL and Lance Gokongwei of Cebu Pacific to initiate company wide awareness programs on servicing Special Children and Persons with Disability. Adel Tamano and I, along with other friends would be glad to assist both airlines just to put a stop to the ignorance and failure to give assistance to people with special needs.

In fact many companies should incorporate such a program for 2011 as part of their Human resource development. I was shocked to learn that even a hospital that I know pioneered a Lupus treatment facility did not recognize the special privileges provided for in the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability.

Just as shocking was the ignorance and arrogance of a drugstore supervisor in Salcedo village who claimed the law was not in effect. I have heard the same answer given to parents of special children who go to drugstores and are turned away when they ask for the discount.

Unfortunately for Minty, and the hundreds of children with disabilities or special needs, their voices are not heard.

It is unfortunate that Minty’s Lolo Ernie Maceda is no longer the Senate President. Perhaps there would have been hell to pay. But should that be the case, do columnists have to become lawmakers just to pass the law and make sure that they are enforced?

I hope not.

Rather than strike blindly in anger and in hurt, Howie Calleja sent me most of the information about their experience not to lash back at the companies and their ignorant personnel, but rather, in some hope that by shedding light on the matter, we can ALL work together to make sure that what Minty did not get under the law can once and for all be given to those who have less in life.

Let us not retreat in denial or fear of bad publicity, rather let us start new beginnings and be proud of new programs that will give priority to the disabled, the handicapped or the retarded. Let us start programs of compassion and relief for parents who don’t just have a long hard flight ahead of them, but a long hard life along with their special kids.

Remember His words: when you fed the hungry, clothed the naked and healed the sick, that you did to me as well.