INQUIRER Sports

PARE or Persons With Disabilities Advocating for Rights and Empowerment is an organization which aims to develop and conduct non-credited, non-formal training programs toward empowerment and economic independence of persons with disabilities.

PARE president, Jovencio “Nonoy” Concha III said a few months ago that he would like to meet disabled boxers so they can come up with a program to teach various livelihood projects and help disabled athletes to be productive members of society.

Their organization advocates for the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities (PWD) by providing services addressing the needs of PWDs in coordination with an established network of concerned citizens, provide training programs towards economic independence, networking for donors and implementation of their programs.

If you know any disabled boxers or the people taking care of them, you can contact PARE and their president Nonoy Concha through the following: landline: (63-32) 418 2612 and 5836651. You can also e-mail them at: parephil@yahoo.com and their mailing address is Population Commission Regional Office 7 Banilad, Cebu City 6000 Philippines.

Incidentally, on July 19-25, 2009, the Philippines will observe the 32nd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week with the theme: “From Exclusion to Equality: Realizing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” This would be a good way to help our forgotten disabled and destitute pugilists. /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre