Catherine Margaret C. Quintos BFA Information Design Ateneo de Manila University 2015 Portfolio

1. Beyond Loyola
Editor: Roxie Y. Ramirez · Editorial Assistant: Janella H. Paris · Layout Artist: Colleen P. De Luna
Meeting the millennium
Will we beat the
MDGs deadline?
03
Special needs, equal rights
EVERY SATURDAY, a group
of Ateneans visits Cottolengo
Filipino, a home for orphaned
children with special needs.
They are welcomed with warm
smiles and tight hugs.
The facility, with its
surrounding lush trees and
sprawling villas, makes it
easy to forget that it is just a
few miles away from the city.
Owned and managed by Little
Works of Divine Providence
Congregation and accredited
by the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, Cotto
is a sanctuary for residents and
guests alike. However, the area’s
true highlight is the children—
the “angels of Cottolengo”—as
the facility houses over 50
disabled persons, as of writing.
Cotto is one of Ateneo Special
Education Society’s (Speed)
engagement areas. The two
are working hand-in-hand in
advocating the rights and well-
being of persons with special
needs (PWSNs).
By the numbers
As the United Nations
(UN) defines it, persons with
disabilities (PWDs) include
people who have “long-term
physical, mental, intellectual
or sensory impairments which
in interaction with various
barriersmayhindertheirfulland
effective participation in society
on an equal basis with others.”
Based on the 2010 Census of
Population and Housing, 1.443
million people or 1.57% out
of the 92.1 million household
population in the country have
disabilities. It was also recorded
that there were more males than
females considered to have dis-
abilities, comprising 50.9% and
49.1%, respectively.
InthePhilippines,theNational
Council on Disability Affairs
(NCDA) serves as the central
authorityofthegovernmentforall
disability-relatedconcerns.They
are in charge of implementing
policies and laws for the
empowerment and development
of PWDs as a matter of right.
By the laws
PWDs were long before seen
as objects of ridicule, as media
usually portrays them as people
discriminated on the basis
of their disabilities. Because
of this, the Magna Carta for
Persons with Disabilities (RA
7277) was signed into law
in 1992 to protect the rights
and well-being of PWDs,
which included provisions
on health and rehabilitation,
education, employment and
self-development.
Later on, in 2006, it was
amendedasRA9442,andfurther
emphasized prohibition against
ridicule of PWDs. Through the
partnership between the Movie
and Television Review and
Classification Board (MTRCB)
and NCDA, PWDs treated
as subjects of foul jokes and
ridicule were minimized, if not
eliminated. “With RA 9442, the
government and the society in
general slowly recognizes the
inherent rights and dignity of
persons with disabilities who
should be treated with respect,”
CarmenReyesZubiaga,executive
director of NCDA, explains.
AccordingtoanarticlebyManila
Bulletin, current legislations
entitle PWDs (who have already
secured a PWD identification
card) to benefits such as 5%
discount on basic necessities and
prime commodities, and 20%
discount on hotels, restaurants
andrecreationalactivities,medical
services, domestic air and sea
travel, toll fees, railways and bus
fares.
In terms of employment
opportunities, all government
agencies are mandated to
reserve at least 1% of all
positions for PWDs. Private
companies, on the other hand,
are motivated to reserve at least
1% of all positions. According
to Department of Labor
and Employment Secretary
Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz,
this provision was added in
order to stimulate productivity
among qualified PWDs and to
ensure lucrative employment.
Persistent problems
Despite all these benefits,
NCDA is still wary about
the overall welfare of PWDs
facing discrimination, such as
inaccessible workplaces and
barriers in transportation,
public accommodations and
telecommunications. Accord-
ing to Zubiaga, “PWDs’ needs
are neglected because they are
perceived as useless, a shame
and burden to families and
society in general.”
To this day, the issue of
exclusion persists, even with
the Philippine ratification
of the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities last 2008. Zubiaga
said that the key to address
this issue is through “inclusive
development.” “Inclusion can
be achieved by mainstreaming
disability in a regular program
or through the development of
disability specific programs,”
Zubiaga elaborated.
Furthermore, she stressed
the need for more leaders with
advocacies leaning towards
the rights and causes of
PWDs as local government
units are still unprepared
for responsibilities and
accountabilities with regards
to the PWD sector.
Movement towards
betterment
In the spirit of being men
and women for others, many
Ateneans are actively involved
in upholding the welfare of
PWDs. In an interview with
The GUIDON, Nicole Sy, vice
president for Advocacy of Ateneo
Speed, explained their vision
of an inclusive society for the
PWSNs. “[An inclusive society
is one] that [would] provide for
their needs and afford them
the opportunities to grow and
develop as human beings, in
their own ways.”
Sy further elaborated on the
organization’s two-pronged
approach on the situation of
PWSNs:Promotingawarenessfor
the society towards acceptance,
and improving programs and
facilities, such as public special
education (SpEd) schools, in the
Philippines.
Members and even non-
members in partner institutions,
suchasCottoandtheSacredHeart
CenterinQuezonCity,doweekly
areavisitsforimmersion.During
these visits, certain modules
are carried out depending on
the needs of each institution.
A disability awareness week
was also launched to promote
inclusivity among the Ateneo
community, where activities
such as workshops on Down
Syndrome and #NoToLabels
poster campaigns were held.
With the increasing
involvement by different
organizations in the country,
Sy remains optimistic about the
futureofPWDsinthePhilippines.
Sheforeseesanenvironmentthat
wouldprovidenecessaryservices
forPWDsthatwillallowthemto
participate more in the society,
giving opportunities to grow,
developandreachtheirpotentials
as human beings. Zubiaga also
anticipates a brighter future
where PWDs may enjoy their
rights as contributing citizens of
the society while being treated
with due respect and dignity.
For her, addressing disability
is anticipating the needs of all
citizens. She explains, “All of us,
in one way or another, will expe-
rience some form of disability in
our lifetime.”
By Alexa B. Fontanilla
and Cristina A. Gadiano
IllustratIons By Angelli A. Aquino
Liturgy of the Word was given,
with Prayers of the Faithful said
in different local languages.
In his homily, the pope said:
“Only when we, too, can cry
about the things you said can
we come close to answering that
question. Why do children suffer
so much? When the heart is able
to ask itself and weep, then we
can understand something.”
The pope related this to
women, saying that they
are more in touch with this
sensibility and that Palomar’s
tears were a way of asking.
“Women have much to tell
us in today’s society,” he said.
“Sometimes we are too ‘machis-
tas’ and we don’t allow enough
space to women. But women can
seethingsfromadifferentangle…
with a different eye. Women are
abletoposequestionswemenare
unable to understand. Look out
for this fact: She is the only one
whohasputaquestionforwhich
there is no answer.”
“Nakakaantig ng puso ‘yong
sinasabi niya. Kinikilabutan
ako (What Pope Francis said
touched my heart. I felt goose
bumps),” said Alyssa Leong, a
communication junior who had
come independently. Leong, not
expecting the subject matter
to be raised, was grateful
that Pope Francis recognized
women’s capabilities.
Bro. Kim Buñag, SJ, mean-
while, clapped as loud as he
could. “[Pope Francis] was very
keen on who was speaking and
not speaking, reflecting his sen-
sitivity to social inequalities,”
said Buñag, who accompanied
the delegation of 200 the Ateneo
sent to the event.
Criticism and conservatism
Despite this, Pope Francis
said in a 2013 statement that
Young like ourselves
“First of all, a sad piece of
news,” Pope Francis began
in his address to the Filipino
youth on January 18. He spoke
of the accident in Tacloban the
day before, where a collapse of
scaffolding left Yolanda social
worker Kristel Padasas dead.
“She was 27 years old, young
like yourselves.”
His speech, given at the
UniversityofSantoTomas(UST)
football field, was originally
intended to discuss care for the
environment. However, it took
a spontaneous direction after
testimoniesfromselectedFilipino
youth and the turn of events last
January 17. It was delivered in
Spanish and translated by Msgr.
Mark Gerard Miles.
Among those who spoke at
the event were Rikki Macolor
and Leandro Santos II, UST
students who talked of faith
in the age of information and
science. Fourteen-year-old Jun
Chura and 12-year-old Gyzelle
Palomar spoke of their experi-
ences as the urban poor, which
included growing up exposed
to drugs and prostitution. For-
merly street children, both are
now with Tulay ng Kabataan,
the same foundation that took in
the kids the Pope met after his
Mass at the Manila Cathedral
last January 16.
Response to reality
During her speech, Palomar
broke down, asking why God
allows prostitution to happen.
She wasn’t able to finish, and the
pope pulled her into a silent hug.
Theprogram,whichbeganat9:50
AM, opened with a performance
oftheofficialpapalvisitsong,“We
Are All God’s Children,” and the
series of sharings. Afterward, a
By Regine D. Cabato and
Janella H. Paris
young like ››4
ViVA el PAPA. Pope Francis was all smiles as he was welcomed by
Filipinos during his five-day pastoral and state visit.
Photo By ARthuR j. tAn
Art is something that awes—some-
thing that inspires...
— Ramon E.S. LERma,
Curator and Director, Ateneo Art Gallery
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promotion materials

5. various illustrations

6. various illustrations

7. graphic design
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