FORMER Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has vowed to set up more therapy, education, and assimilation facilities for children with disabilities.

He pointed to the successful and globally recognized Mandaluyong City experience in providing care for children with disabilities.

Project TEACH, implemented in 2007 when Abalos was mayor of Mandaluyong, has served over 1,200 children with various disabilities, including autism and cerebral palsy.

Abalos shared that the program’s origins emphasize the importance of leaders being in close contact with the people. He recounted a story of a 13-year-old boy with autism, highlighting the disparity in care between wealthy and underprivileged children with disabilities. This experience led to the creation of Project TEACH, which provides free medical, rehabilitative, educational, and other related services to children with disabilities.

The project has been widely recognized for promoting good governance and public trust. It has received multiple awards, including the United Nations Public Service Award and the Galing Pook Award.

Abalos believes that, like Mandaluyong, other regions should replicate this model, especially considering the 2022 study by the United Nations Children’s Fund that estimated there are 1.6 million Filipino children with disabilities.