We volunteered that your act of organizing the civil society groups into the Partnership for Progressive Cebu was a major feat. Then, there was the united front against Sugbu-ak. Of course, you consider until now the Philhealth membership of more Cebuanos as a centerpiece welfare achievement and the planting of trees along major roads of the province as your valuable contribution to Cebu 's environment.
We are happy to add two more happy accomplishments during your term.
The first involves the previous request of Ms. Adela Kono of the Accessibility Monitoring Committee (AMC) for the implementation of accessibility features for our physically-challenged sector. They are happy to report that through the helpful advice of Ms. Beth Francia of your office, their group was able to dialogue directly with Architect Manuel Guanzon with the following positive results summarized by Ms. Geraldine P. Ruiz, Vice-Chair of AMC as follows:
"The Accessibility Monitoring Committee-2 of Cebu, led by its Chair Engr. Josefa T. Ylanan, called on Architect Manuel Guanzon to push for the full implementation of the universal standards of accessibility at the Cebu International Convention Center. The structure, which will be the venue of the 12th ASEAN Summit in December, will be the most appropriate showcase for Cebu's claim to making the city and the province the most accessible destination in the whole country.
Guanzon, a trailblazer as far as incorporating access features in his numerous projects, expressed his willingness to cooperate with AMC and assured the body that he would take the matter up with the Management Group at their next meeting and that he would follow the universal standards in designing the access features of the center. He also informed the AMC that the ramps in and around the CICC are all based on the universal standards which Regional Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons-7, Vice-Chair, Adela Kono presented to him at length with visual support. He also promised to take the committee on a tour around the complex to inspect the access features once they are in place.
This is a commendable development which moves the standard and status of accessibility of Cebu one notch higher. An achievement that spells a lot of difference in our bid to conquer the world's heart come December as it would signal our readiness to open our doors to more events of the same magnitude, even a convention of thousands of disabled very soon."
The second happy development involves the very productive dialogue between the AMC committee with the Cebu Contractors Association (CCA) during their general membership meeting and as Gigi Ruiz reports happily,
" The CCA will now sit in the committee which is tasked to police the implementation of BP 344 (Accessibility Law) in infrastructure, buildings, telecommunication and transportation. CCA President George Hong has appointed Peter Paul Dy to represent the association in the committee.
CCA has also asked the committee to contribute a 3-page article to their upcoming yearbook called " Cebu Builders Directory" for the purpose of sharing the knowledge on the topic of universal standards of accessibility with their counterparts all over the country.
This was the group's positive and welcome response to the eye-opening audio-visual presentation of Adela A. Kono, Vice-Chair of the Regional Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons-7, on the comprehensive view of accessibility in the international setting. A major part of the presentation dwelt on the changing needs of the times which only the adoption of the universal standards as practiced in the US, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand can address.
AMC's stand is that at 23 years old, the Accessibility Law needs amendments the disabled sector is now more vocal and visible in the daily affairs of the community. The CCA can pro-actively take the lead in implementing these changes in the construction industry even before the amendments are realized to make Cebu the most disabled-friendly destination in the Philippines ."
We will reserve in another article a third reason to thank you, Governor Gwen, involving the resumption of the completion construction of the Sugbu Center for Performing Arts at the University of the Philippines. May you move on to greater heights of service for the people of one, united Cebu !