Disabled Pinoys encouraged to be more involved in sports

MANILA, Philippines – Advocates for persons with disabilities have urged Filipinos to encourage members of their families with disabilities to be more involved in sports competitions.

Special athletes and advocates of intellectually disabled persons from nine countries in the Asia Pacific Region recently gathered in Manila for the Second Global Family Summit.

With the theme, “Be a fan of acceptance, dignity and the human race,” the three-day conference was aimed at underscoring the important role of the family in bringing out the best in every special child.

“We believe that sports encourage intellectually challenged individuals to do their best. That is why we encourage families to let their intellectually challenged members take part in the Special Olympics,” said Alex Babst, Special Olympics Philippines’ national program director.

Participating in the conference were 25 family committee heads from Australia, India, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, and Cambodia.

Babst said the Global Family Summit created an opportunity to discuss key issues significant to the well-rounded development of special children.

He said the participants tackled important concerns such as the responsibility of parents and siblings in introducing intellectually challenged members to mainstream society.

Meanwhile, Babst said 16 special athletes from the Philippines will participate in bowling and table tennis competitions to be held in Taiwan and Malaysia in the last quarter of the year.

Special Olympics Philippines (SOP) is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

SOP accommodates individuals with intellectual disability who are four years old and above with an IQ (intelligent quotient) of 75 percent and below.

The Philippine team won three gold, five silver, and 11 bronze medals in the 2007 Special Olympics Games held in Shanghai, China.

“When the intellectually disabled child knows that he is being supported by his family, it gives him more confidence,” Babst said.        – Helen Flores