Malay Councilor Pushes for Inclusive Services and Tourism for PWDs in Malay

Emphasizes Policy Review, Accessibility, and Stakeholder Collaboration during Boracay Consultation Meeting

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay Aklan — The Municipal Persons with Disability Affairs Office (MPDAO) successfully convened a Consultation Meeting and Disability Sensitivity Orientation last July 26, 2025 at Altabriza Resort, Boracay Island. The event brought together local officials, educators, disability advocates, and representatives from national and local organizations to assess the current state of programs for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Municipality of Malay and identify priority actions for more inclusive services.

Sangguniang Bayan Member Grengo T. Gelito, Chairperson of the Committee on Social Services, was among the invited speakers.

“As a newcomer to the Sangguniang Bayan and the current Chairperson of the Committee on Social Services, I have begun reviewing our municipality’s existing programs and policies, particularly those that affect persons with disabilities,” Gelito said in his address.

“I recognize that we have over 1,124 PWDs in the Municipality of Malay, and it is my duty to ensure that our local government’s efforts are truly responsive to their needs.” Gelito further committed to launching a comprehensive needs assessment and engaging stakeholders to strengthen the municipality’s support systems.

He also emphasized the importance of inclusive tourism in Boracay. “Given Boracay’s global status as a premier tourist destination, welcoming more than a million visitors annually, we must ensure that our tourism sector evolves to become more inclusive and PWD-friendly,” he stated.

Gelito announced plans to initiate a focused study and convene a separate consultation conference with tourism stakeholders to promote the integration of sign language training, accessibility features, and disability awareness into the tourism ecosystem.

“We hope to transform Boracay into a model of accessible and inclusive tourism—not just for the Philippines, but for the world,” he added.

Jeecee Y. Maming, PDAO Designate, reported that the Municipality of Malay has recorded a total of 1,124 PWDs, with nearly 10% of them being children.

Meanwhile, Jubert O. Lago, President of the League of Persons with Disability Affairs Offices of the Philippines (LPDAOP), Inc., announced that their organization is currently donating wheelchairs to those in need.

“All we need is the correct size of the individual, and requests can be made through the local PDAO,” Lago said.

Special Education teacher Mary Leah D. Panganonong of Malay Elementary School presented the challenges in providing SPED services, especially for children from Boracay Island.

“We only have two SPED teachers, and ten of our students from Boracay travel to the mainland three times a week,” she explained. Panganonong proposed the addition of at least one more SPED teacher for Boracay Island, especially considering that 534 PWDs reside there. She also emphasized that Special Education should focus on helping PWDs become skillful and independent, rather than limiting instruction to basic literacy.