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As the Quinquennium draws to a close, the East Asia Chair claims a modest accomplishment in having contributed to improved linkages between organisations of and for the blind and people who are visually impaired in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Philippines and Taiwan.
Visits/Exchanges were made possible between the Philippines, Hong Kong and China. A delegation of Chinese educators visited the Philippines. A delegation of Educators and NGO leaders visited Hong Kong and China.
A delegation of blind leaders and educators participated in the Asian and Pacific Information Technology Seminar sponsored by the Hong Kong Society for the Blind under the leadership of its Director, Mrs Grace Chan, in collaboration with ICEVI and the Overbrook School for the Blind.
Philippine exporters, who visited Tokyo for an international trade fair, donated their products to the Chiba School for the Blind to be used for the benefit of the blind students and their teachers and friends.
Through the able leadership of Dr Xu Bailun, the ICEVI China Branch was established. It contributed programmes for advocacy and campaigns for education of the blind. It held academic conferences in China.
The Philippine Council for the Education and Rehabilitation of People who are Visually Impaired (PHILCERVI) was set up to respond to the challenge as posed by ICEVI. Under the leadership of Mr Ricardo Calapatia it has now been given recognition by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as the Non Government Agency consultant on matters concerning education of the visually impaired.
Initial efforts of coming together by educators of Vietnam and the Philippines at a conference did not push through due to visa difficulties.
ICEVI East Asia Chair focused on the activities in the Philippines and co-operated with various initiatives:
To bring about distance education
for teachers of the blind
To encourage sports for
the blind and other people with disability
To set up a Low Vision Clinic
To campaign for enrolment
in the National Capital Region and other provinces
To hold vision screening
missions in various parishes
To encourage volunteerism
among ophthalmologists for cataract extraction
To disseminate information
on electronic services for and about visual impairment
To develop sensitivity training
for personnel of the Department of Labour and Employment
To campaign and monitor
compliance with the Accessibility Law
To distribute low vision
kits from the World Health Organisation Regional Office
To disseminate information
on adaptive tools for communication for persons with disability
To support programmes for
visual arts and performing arts of the blind
To campaign for early detection
of visual impairment
To provide cassettes for
recording and reading rooms in SPED
To support the Asian and
Pacific Regional Massage Conference
To build the Philippine
Blind Union Headquarters
We are happy with these modest and positive developments made possible by friends and families of the blind and the visually impaired and government agencies and private voluntary organisations of and for the blind.
Many things remain undone .... many challenges beckon us in East Asia.
We have started and we will, with God's help, continue.