Indigenous Day event highlights diversity and culture
An event showcasing talents, capabilities, and cultural diversity amid differing communities for people with disabilities was held on October 3, 2025 with the theme, “Inclusive Indigenous Day for Persons with Disabilities”.
Organized by the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) under Dr. Samuel Aquino, Disability Affairs Officer III, participants came from the Summer Capital and the Cordillera region.
“Since meron nang different organizations na nabuo, kahit papaano nag-reach out ‘yung mga individual na indigenous na person with disability,” Karen Joy Lang-ay, Disability Affairs Officer I, said as she spoke on the challenges of bringing together different groups of disabled persons for the event.
The program consisted of three competitions: Indigenous Song Competition, Indigenous Dance Competition, and the Indigenous Art Competition.
Since January, PDAO Baguio has strived to conduct similar activities promoting and enacting inclusivity for persons with disabilities every month, entwining it with the regularly scheduled events such as Women’s Month, Family Day, and the now ongoing Children’s Month.
PDAO hopes that by reaching out to the communities, people in the differently-abled sector can shine and discover their own potential.
“Wala tayong finofocus, basta lahat ng type ng disability, ‘yung goal namin, basta ma-cover mula sa bata hanggang sa senior, iba-iba lang ng needs, pero isang sector pa rin ‘yan,” Lang-ay said as she underscored PDAO’s commitment to reach out to persons under all 10 identified types of disabilities and attending to their needs.
Lang-ay added that ever since PDAO started conducting these activities in conjunction with city events, more and more differently abled persons were able to come out to show and express themselves more in public.
Such initiatives are what led to PDAO Baguio receiving recognition, achieving a 98% functionality score.
“Para sa amin kasi, hindi lang for compliance, kasi sa amin talagang isinapuso namin na hindi lang inclusive– ‘yung award, parang bonus, parang additional– kasi hindi naman ‘yan ‘yung main goal natin eh. You just create activities, you create programs, and later on, napapansin pala,” she said.
The event ended in the recognizing its winners for each category: In the dance competition, Lucnab Persons with Disability Organization (LUCPEDO) took first place, garnering a score of 92.25 with the judges; Touch Movers Silent Achievers Cooperative (TMSAC) and Irisan Persons with Disability Organization (IPWDO) came second and third with 92 and 91.75, respectively.
The poster-making competition crowned John Christopher Cardenas as the overall winner, with a score of 96.75; second was Althea Sophia Roña with 92.5, and then Rochelle Ann B. Nery with 91.
Voices resonated in the singing competition with Dang-ey Idontog claiming first place with a score of 96.25; IPWDO coming second with 93.5, and then LUCPEDO with 92.
Inclusive Indigenous Day has provided an avenue for indigenous persons with disability to open up to the wider community and PDAO Baguio has lined up several similar activities in line with Children’s Month and International Day in December, Lang-ay said. – Kemm Olarte/PIO Intern/Gaby Keith
