Adaptive Sports Program
What Are We Doing?
The Adaptive Sports Program is designed to ensure that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) appear alongside all citizens as active participants in the sports and physical activities. In the Philippines, access to sport for the disabled is hampered by poverty, lack of awareness, and lack of accessible sports facilities.
We have identified adaptive sports as the key initiative to further strengthen and expand the venues for mainstreaming the inclusion of PWDs in all aspects of society.
The Problem
Yearly, natural calamities plus constant insurgent warfare in remote parts of the Philippines contribute to disabled military and civilian casualties. Other causes of disability result in approximately 15% of the population living with a disability. Most of the newly disabled are faced with having to move around and earn a living in a non-disabled friendly country.
The disabled Filipinos who do take up sport discover this is a way to regain self-confidence, access psychosocial support, hope and maintain fitness.
What We Want
In accordance with Article 30.5 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we want to engage PWDs and uphold their rights as equal, active and engaged citizens through sports participation.
Although the Philippine disabled sport contingents are smaller and less funded by the government, Filipino disabled athletes have been bringing in more medals than their able-bodied counterparts in equivalent international games. This is not because sports for the disabled are easier, but because of the will and ability of the athlete to excel.
What We Do
The Adaptive Sports Program provides opportunities for people of all abilities to engage with and participate in sporting programs. We aim to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in sports and recreational activities in the society alongside with their counterparts
We have launched the first ever cross-disability adaptive dragon boat-racing program in the Philippines, The Power Paddlers.
Our future focus involves opening more and more sports to persons with disabilities. This includes swimming, wheelchair basketball, goalball, and boccia ball.