Cross-sectional Survey to Assess Prevalence of Disability and Access to Services in Albay Province, The Philippines

Ms. Amable Bolinas is President of the Simon of Cyrene Community Rehabilitation and Development Foundation, Inc., Daraga, Philippines.  She pioneered the implementation of the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in cooperation with local government units and persons with disabilities in the Bicol Region, Philippines as its Executive Director from 1985-2009.  She served on the Executive Committee of the CBR Asia - Pacific Network.  She has worked as an independent consultant and promoted CBR in the Philippines, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kiribati, and the Pacific Islands.  Her areas of interest include planning and organizational development of rehabilitation programmes for persons with disability, and research.

Ms. Erlynn Jaucian is the Executive Director of the Simon of Cyrene Community Rehabilitation and Development Foundation, Inc., Daraga, Philippines. She is responsible for day to day operations and ensures the implementation of Community-Based Rehabilitation Progam (CBR) and programmes and services of the Foundation.  She served as adviser of the Bicol CBR Network and advocate in promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities.  She developed modules for capacity building of stakeholders, concept papers for CBR components and project proposals for funding.

Ms. Rebecca Boneo manages program implementation of Dios Mabalos Po Foundation, Daraga, Philippines.  Through the Foundation’s programs on nutrition and health, she pursues her interests in philanthropic, humanitarian and charitable purposes. Her work focuses on impoverished communities of the Bicol Region as coordinator for the prevention of disabilities.  She coordinates prevention of blindness activities from advocacy to surgical intervention on persons with squints, persons with cataract and persons with pterygium.  She also manages cleft lips and palates surgical interventions when the Foundation is not in a disaster response mode.

Ms Mary Mediatrix Villanueva started her social development projects as National President of The Rural Service Volunteer Program in 1969.  In 1982 she was one of the founders of the predecessor of the Simon of Cyrene Community Rehabilitation and Development Foundation, Inc, Philippines.  She has served on the Board of Trustees since 1982 and was President in 2016, the year of the survey.  She led the Foundation in exploring and expanding service response to all disabilities.  In 2006 she managed the Ayuda Albay, a secretariat that ensured integrity in the delivery of disaster relief after Typhoon Reming,  In 2007, the Dios Mabalos Po Foundaton was established.  As Chairperson, her long standing commitment to underserved disaster victims has enabled indigenous people and persons with disability to access the Foundation’s nutrition and food security programme.