Online learning system for PWDs launched in Davao City

After successfully launching in Luzon on December 15 and in the Visayas on Tuesday, the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) on Thursday launched for the entire Mindanao its Accessible Online Learning System at the Apo View Hotel here.

The Accessible Online Learning System offers free online courses to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the entire country. The system currently holds eight learning courses for capacity-building for PWDs. Some courses are designed to raise awareness on the rights of PWDs.

Thursday’s launching was attended by NCDA Officer-in-Charge Dandy Victa and other NCDA personnel, City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) Head Julie Dayaday, Department of the Interior and Local Government representatives, and officials from various Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) units in Mindanao.

“Yun po’ng mga capacity-building activities natin, we uploaded in this particular platform to make it accessible to persons with disabilities. So we are actually encouraging the PDAOs , even the city and municipal social welfare development office and our partners and all other duty-bearers to access the platform as they will be able to access disability awareness and capacity-building activities,” said NCDA Executive Director Dandy Victa.

“Mas maraming persons with disabilities ang makaka-access ng information but, more importantly, maraming partners ang makakaintindi kung ano ba ‘yong concerns ng persons with disabilities (More persons with disabilities will be able to access information but, more importantly, many partners will be able to understand the concerns of persons with disabilities),” Victa added.

PWD Federation of Davao City President Mario Palo said their organization is thankful for the creation of the platform as this will effectively empower and educate PWDs.

Palo bared that despite the willingness of their members to learn and take active participation in the community, accessibility to conferences, forums, and seminars remains challenging. The accessible online learning system, he said, has the potential to help PWDs overcome this impediment.

The platform will also equip PWDs with knowledge that will ideally allow them to fare better in society, added PDAO Davao City Office-in-Charge Rafael Sumoso.

“Malipayon lang ko kay kini nga programa na ni makatabang sa mga PWD na wala nakahuman sa ilang pag-eskwela,” Sumoso said.

For CSWDO’s part, Dayaday said the office is ready to assist the PDAO in the implementation of the system and the onboarding of PWDs and other partners. She said the CSWDO will be conducting trainings for their personnel to capacitate them in assisting PWDs to access and utilize the system.

To check out the courses available, click here: https://ncdacourses.online/. CIO