The Persons with Disability Affairs Division of the Governor’s Office (GO-PDAD), led by Disability Affairs Officer IV Venus R. Cadabona, conducted a ceremonial payout for deaf and hard of hearing Novo Vizcayanos on July 2, 2026, at the Paniqui Hall, Executive Building, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito was present at the ceremony to address the recipients, making a special mention to the special education (SPED) learners present and reaffirming his commitment to the youth of the province.
According to GO-PDAD Aide Christine Carnate, the payout for this last batch included at least 30 persons with hearing disabilities hailing from Kayapa, Quezon, Dupax del Sur, and Quezon. The PWDs ranged from school-aged children to senior citizens, the former having been identified by the Department of Education as Special Education (SPED) learners.
According to the Disability Affairs Officer III Jaime C. Andres, such programs can be ‘life-changing’ for PWDs, as the provision of assistive devices aids in the return of missing functions. For SPED learners, assistive devices help learning and evades delayed development in young children. The GO-PDAD expressed their gratitude to the governor for his support.
With modern hearing aids costs exceeding ₱80,000, the supplemental fee to be received by the PWDs is ₱10,000 covered by the Governor’s Office, with other funds to come from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Department of Social Welfare and Development – Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-SWAD), the GO-PDAD, and the Office of the President. Requirements for the recipients thus include written letters to the Governor and the Office of the President, their PWD ID, a case study by a social worker, a medical certificate, and a certificate of indigency.
As stated by the Governor, the ‘symbolic fund’ to put toward the purchase of hearing aids is the true help from the provincial government toward the PWD sector of the province, as the welfare of PWDs are an improvement to Nueva Vizcaya. /igmb
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