Bohol PWD musician gains

KMME mentoring biz’ skills

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 26 (PIA)—Blind but with unimpeded vision for the welfare of persons with disabilities, the president of the Bohol PWD Workers Association (PWDWA) has just aced his attendance and thus the group’s completion of a 12 week business and entrepreneurship mentoring offered by the government.

Bohol PWDWA president Junare Baculio, with sight impairment and aided by a friend guide marched amidst the cheers of praises and admiration of onlookers and batch mates, to claim his completion certificate  as graduate of the recently concluded Kapatid Mentor Micro Entrepreneurs (KMME) program in Bohol, October 23, 2019, at the Panda Tea Garden and Pavillion.

Baculio, a blind musician and is now among the front men of Blinds Mate, an all PWD band touring small events in Bohol, has since led the PWDWA to an enhanced inclusive membership now reaching over 14,000 registered PWDs across Bohol.

And as integral part of nation-building and to prove their independence and productivity, PWDs have engaged themselves in skills training in livelihood for self-sufficiency. 

Along with the country’s informal sector training institutions including technical and vocational skills for livelihood, PWDs have gained the praises and admiration of the society’s mainstream for their optimism and resolve which may be unmatched compared to the able bodied.

Baculio, who plays the acoustic guitar and croons like any recording star, is also an esteemed leader of the Blind’s Mate, a new PWD music band which picks from the successes of erstwhile Blind’s Faith from his co-member Niki Radaza, has envisioned the possibility of the band recording their songs.

With the help of the government through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the PWD group received a full recording studio as a Shared Service Facility it can also lend to groups needing such technical support.

The Bohol PWD Workers Association is a beneficiary of DTIs Shared Service Facility (SSF) project for its musical recording studio located at Tamblot Street, Tagbilaran City.

The technical assistance by the DTI also automatically provides the group a slot in the DTI-Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry KMME with Go Negosyo Center.

And despite a visual impairment that would most usually frustrate an ordinary struggling investor, Baculio, along with 25 other mentees who, like him, would want their businesses compete in the global market.

Bereft of formal training, which also means huge fees for struggling entrepreneurs, the DTI, along with the PCE and Negosyo Centers bring in a mentoring program that uses mentors from big companies which have survived in the cruel competitive world of business.

Having completed the training, Baculio in his message, expressed his thanks to DTI Bohol who gave him and his fellow persons with disability the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind mentoring session to help them develop and grow their entrepreneurial abilities.

Baculio said that being a person with disability does not hinder him from getting on his dreams for the association.

To further strengthen and capacitate SSF co-operators on business and entrepreneurship, this batch of the KMME was implemented to cater to 14 other SSF co-operators across the province.

DTI Regional Director Aster Caberte expressed her admiration on Baculio, who despite being blind, was able to show to his fellow mentees that his disability is not hindering his potentials as a person and as an entrepreneur.

Caberte further said that she is inspired by the dedication, commitment and sincerity of Baculio and she is so proud of DTI Bohol who has given focused assistance to persons with disability in the province. (rahc/PIA-7/ with vligan)