Guesting at DZMM Teleradyo: Todo Todo, Walang Preno

Quality Life Discoveries was supposed to be featured at Umagang Kay Ganda, the daily morning show of ABS-CBN, on Wednesday, focusing on the various services that the clinic offers. Of course, being the Aquatics specialist of the center, I was more than prepared to demonstrate and talk about Aquatherapy and WATSU® once more, the last time being in Unang Hirit (GMA's morning show). This meant waking up as early as 3 am, to be at the clinic at 4 and sink in the pool for more than 3 hours straight. Gruelling work, while trying to look pretty for the camera! But highly enjoyable!

However, due to some reasons, Umagang Kay Ganda had to back-out and instead I was invited to be a guest at a radio talk show in DZMM… Fine, I did radio interviews before, but of course I couldn't hide my disappointment. The first question I asked myself: Do I still have to wear my swimming trunks?

I was told to be at the DZMM station around 10:30 AM per instructions just in time for the 11:00 talk show. I was greeted by Lyn, the station assistant who led me to the make-up room. I saw the television screens around broadcasting the live radio shows and only then did it dawn to me that this was a televised radio show: Todo Todo, Walang Preno. Darn, I should have worn my trunks! Kidding aside, I was wearing the clinic's uniform of course. Make-up make-up while chatting with Lyn who shared how she could relate very much with the topic to be talked about because she had a nephew who was a "special child." Not long I was led to the booth, where hosts Winnie Cordero and Ariel Ureta were already airing. Off air, Winnie would talk to me, orienting me when we would go on-air, and asking a few questions about me, my work as a clinical consultant in QLD and the programs. I looked around from my seat, and pretty interesting, I could see the producer and technicians in their own booths, and pointed at me was a robotic camera. Ooops don't stare! Winnie and Ariel had their own cameras too. Good thing I was wearing the aqua colored shirt… looks good onscreen. I don't really listen to radio shows, but seeing how Winnie and Ariel work… uhhm, actually work is not the right word, have fun on-air, I was amazed… they're funny, witty and entertaining. After their signature "word of the day" segment, they were already informing the listeners about the next topic: "One Stop Shop to Wellness." This is it… just be my natural self, and forget the camera, forget that you're on air. It's just a conversation.

On air! Winnie asked me about my work, starting first with how I got to be called Teacher Rev… then my work as a physical therapist, how long it takes to be one and so on. We then talked about the programs starting with the TheraSuit Intensive Method, then Aquatherapy, which we spent considerable time with, with me talking about how great the water environment is in bringing out the best in children with disabilities, and at the same time, enjoying it. Ariel, would occasionally summarize or generalize these thoughts, highlighting the importance of early intervention and how physical therapists are "heroes", even "magicians" for helping patients regain their strength and skills when most think are unrecoverable. We had a short break, while new reports and some features were covered. Then in a few minutes, I was back on air, to continue talking about the other programs. I admire Winnie and Ariel for creating a light-hearted atmosphere that I almost forgot we were broadcasting. I wondered before the show, how such a potentially serious topic could fit their show, but they managed to bring out some laughs, while maintaining an educational tone all throughout. I asked Winnie if I could leave some parting message (remembering the small chat with the make-up artist who were all sad and pitiful about people with disabilities) and I did… (translated already) that we shouldn't focus on what our friends with disabilities can NOT do… because if we did, we are depriving them with opportunities to uplift themselves, and furthermore as a therapist, we wouldn't last long with our work… instead, we should focus on what they CAN DO… the small improvements that we see in our patients sometimes are enough reward to push us though…

The show finished around noon, and I asked for a photo with them. I thanked Winnie and Ariel for wonderfully championing the physical therapy profession, and told him that all PT's who were listening would be very glad. I went back to the clinic, very very happy.

Logo Design: Abelardo’s Diner

It's been quite some time since I updated my blog with discussions about my recent creative outputs. A few months back, Archie David commissioned me on a project to create a logo for his center's newest endeavor, Abelardo's Diner. Not a lot of people know that the logo of Independent Living Learning Center (ILLC), a center that aims to promote the optimum potential of children with developmental disabilities and to facilitate their community integration through contemporary and functional approaches, was one of my early creative projects. The logo indeed underwent a lot of revisions until we finally hit the final one. An obsessive-compulsive client combined with an equally obsessive-compulsive artist is not exactly a speedy project. Here are the iterations of ILLC's existing logo.

Abelardo's Diner started off as a canteen for their students, faculty and guests. Now what makes this dining place special is that their students are assisting as dining and kitchen staff, part of training them for community integration through gainful employment. The logo should be able to represent the mission of ILLC through this service. Since they have upgraded the diner to a full-pledged restaurant, the logo should also be able to evoke a touch of class. With a clear brief which also included the color and design limitations I will be working with, I knew that the logo should be a text-based one, with very minimal graphic elements. I first provided some font options. Here is just a sample selection of the actual list I provided. I had my own preferences, but I wanted them to choose first themselves, based on their preferences.

Archie allowed his staff to vote on their top 3 font choices, which somehow coincided with his personal preferences. I then provided him with my preferred choice which features the P22 Arts and Crafts Hunter font, which also happened to be one of their top choices. The reason why I found this font so special is that it has the right amount of balance between class/formality and casualness. Just look at the way the "a" and the "s" are formed, and you can say that this is indeed a special font… as special as the people who run the diner. With the font chosen, the next step would be the enclosure. Again, I provided some options with another font choice.

We went for the oval treatment. I then applied some colors and matching leaves as ornamentation. Here's the final design.

By the way, ILLC and Abelardo's Diner was featured by the Probe Team. Here's the video.

“Kapag May Access, May Success!” (or “More From The Sublime Paralytic”)

This year's theme for the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week (July 17 – 23, 2007) is "Kapag May Access, May Success!" It has that humorous ring in it, reminds one of the famous Department of Health slogans during the Flavier era. Honestly, I laughed out loud when it was announced that this will be this year's theme. And it brought similar amusing smiles from students and colleagues.

A week before this, Dean Jake requested me to represent the college in the Public Forum on Accessibility organized by the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) and Emilio Aguinaldo College, due to my background in environmental modification and ergonomics. Beside this, I will be very busy coordinating with the local government of San Mateo, Rizal and other stakeholders for a CBR Free Clinic and of course negotiations that will eventually lead to the assurance of infrastructures of the CBR Program in its new home. The transfer of CBR to San Mateo has really been giving me too much stress, and a series of setbacks would surely leave this job to be an excruciatingly worrisome one. One busy morning, I was contacted by NCWDP humbly requesting me to be the resource speaker for the Public Forum. It's quite funny that the forum that I'll end up as the speaker in the forum I was just supposed to attend to. I was aware of the amount of work I was required to finish, but this is a request that will be very difficult to turn down – actually, I had no choice but to accept it (as a government employee and a UP Professor, it is my civic responsibility). Besides, this wouldn't be too much work since I already have some materials for a presentation on "Public Policies Regarding Accessibility in the Workplace". Or so I thought…

Let me recount one of my little discoveries while I was preparing for the presentation, studying the pertinent laws and policies pertaining to the rights of persons with disabilities here in the Philippines. I have often wondered why the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week is specifically scheduled on the exact days of July 17 to July 23, and if you noticed this year, it started on a Tuesday and ended on Wednesday next week. Wouldn't it be more convenient if it was scheduled on the exact days of the week, from Monday to Sunday? Apparently it was originally declared every third week of July according to Proclamation No. 187 (enacted on June 22, 1979). However, this was changed to July 17 to 23 according to Proclamation No. 361 (signed on August 19, 2000), where the week should culminate on the birthdate of the sublime paralytic: Apolinario Mabini, who is identified as an outstanding icon for persons with disabilities because of his exemplary and dedicated heroic acts during the Philippine Revolution. Come to think of it, besides being identified as an exceptional hero, Mabini may very well be one of the first ever recorded Filipino person with disability who have held an office and served the local government. Numerous questions popped in my mind, and being an academician who teaches environmental modification to accommodate persons with disabilities it may not be surprising that I would wonder whether Mabini ever modified his home and working conditions and two) being an exceptional lawyer himself and author of prominent legal documents, did he ever write something, even some form of correspondence, that gave special privileges to persons with disability such as him. I even wrote Ambeth Ocampo, presently director of both the National Historical Institute and the National Commission for the Culture and Arts on this inquiry:

1. Were there any accessibility features installed in the residences and place of work of Mabini to accommodate his condition? There are a lot of information regarding Mabini, being confined to a wheelchair, but I am curious whether he himself or his friends/family members did any changes/physical modification in the household and workplace to accommodate his condition. Was he fully independent at all times? How did he take his bath? Were his table and other furniture lowered? How about his transportation? (I believe there are illustrations of Mabini being carried in a hammock to enter his office).
   
2. Being Aguinaldo's political advisor and considered as the "Brains of the Revolution" (being the proponent of the 1st Constitution of the Philippines and the Decalogue), did he write any correspondence, literature giving special attention to his disability? Did he correspond or befriended fellow "paralytics"? Were there any special privileges/arrangements given to him because of the fact that he was a paralytic?
   

I also visited the Mabini Shrine in Tanauan, Batangas to seek answers to these questions. Looking at the replica of his house and even accounts from descendants of Mabini himself, I found little evidence of modification. Besides the rattan wheelchair he used at home and in his office, no other accommodation was used. Now I am sure you will wonder how he managed at home and work, doing his daily activities and work tasks… he had always by his side his trusty brother who pledged to serve him at all times. If he had to be carried on his back, Prudencio, his brother will carry, cook, bathe him if necessary. He had to be carried on a hammock to travel from one place to another (from Batangas to Cavite).

Surely enough, just recently, I received a reply from Ambeth Ocampo:

"Prof. Cruz,

Greetings from the National Historical Institute!

Thank you for your letter regarding Apolinario Mabini. Regarding your questions about the hero, historical sources indicate that Mabini had to be carried around since his legs were paralyzed. Often he had furniture adjusted and lowered so he would be comfortable. Among the furniture in his house in Nagtahan are a chair and a bench to place his legs. From his condition he had to be assisted while he was taking a bath and during his exile in Guam, he was permitted to bring along his brother to take care of him. About his transportation, Mabini was carried around on a hammock. This was mentioned when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo summoned him from Los Baños, Laguna to Kawit, Cavite. Around a hundred men took turns carrying him to his destination.

Regarding his disability, Mabini graciously accepted his condition. He even signed himself as "Paralitico" or "Lumpo." He did write something about his disability when he defended himself from his detractors who said that his disease (said to be venereal disease) might affect his reasoning. Mabini said that even he was physically handicapped he could still deliver wise counsel to the President of the Republic and serve as the country's first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Mabini wrote many letters to journalists as well as foreigners. As for the privileges extended to him, he was always assigned persons at his disposal to move him around. Even the Americans who captured him in 1899 gave him the same consideration and allowed him to move around while in exile in Guam.

It is hoped that this little information would be of help.

Sincerely,

Ambeth R. Ocampo"

I used this information as an introduction to my presentation. But for the main part of my lecture, rather than plainly presenting the list of pertinent laws related to accessibility to the workplace in the Philippines, I discussed the policies around a situation: a person with disability trying to get to work. All the issues one will encounter will be presented accordingly with a relevant policy. And it will be up for the audience to decide whether these policies are enforced or not. One thing we should realize though: We have very good laws. They are complete in a sense and encompasses all the relevant aspects of life of a person with disability, to the point that it can also rival those of other nations. We just don't have enough resolve and resources to enact these.

I had to deliver the presentation in Filipino, since it was also broadcasted through DZAS. The audience was probably the most unusual and interesting one. Imagine a group with all the various types of impairments and disabilities in one huge hall. I had an interpreter beside me delivering my lecture in sign language. I knew they were a "talkative" bunch because they were busy signing among themselves. I realized that my lecture was an irony in itself. I talked about access but my presentation was not accessible to everyone! (I had pictures in my slide presentation which I failed to describe… I kept referring to pictures in my slide, and the audience who were blind or visually impaired would seek assistance from their seatmates to describe to them what were in those pictures).

I ended my presentation with another historical tidbit related to Apolinario Mabini. One of the things I discovered when I visited the Mabini Shrine was that Mabini's birthday was not July 23! Apparently, it was recently discovered in documents that July 23 was actually his baptismal date. His real birthday was July 22, 1864. So I thought, should the Proclamation of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week be once more amended to accommodate this recent discovery. On another thought, if this will be amended, should the rest of our policies be amended to accommodate our seemingly slow ability to enforce and enact these? Or should we rather amend our attitudes towards issues surrounding persons with disabilities?

I was just happy to have survived that hectic week, with the culmination of our CBR Free Clinic in San Mateo, Rizal. But the work is far from finished. And when I thought that there won't be any snags on the side of the municipal government with the transfer of CBR to San Mateo, little did I realize that the problem would come from the university itself… Stressful. To end it on a happy note, here are my mandatory source journal entry presentations: