5.3 Public Facilities

Northern Luzon Association for the Blind, Inc. (NLAB) promotes the welfare primarily of the visually impaired, and secondarily, the welfare also of those with other physical impairments, irrespective of gender, age, beliefs, educational attainment, who reside in the Philippines, but especially those in Northern Luzon. It has established and operates the Heinz Woelke School for the Blind, a school for blind children aged 6 to 16. The school teaches Christian values, academic subjects, mobility and social skills, skills with Braille, computer, vocational subjects and others with the objective of preparing them for integration into society. This school provides free board and lodging to 40 to 50 beneficiaries each year. The school also trains parents of the blind children and teachers of various communities where the children will be integrated. It also provides training on livelihood skills to visually impaired adults and ultimately assists them in establishing their means of livelihood.

The DSWD provides training and employment to the sector through its national vocational rehabilitation centers. Vocational training programs for people with disabilities aged 16 to 60 is provided while offering assessment and guidance, vocational placement, social rehabilitation and medical services.

The Center is operated by the Department of Health and was originally founded in 1945. The Center has 700 beds and offers extensive rehabilitation and orthopedic services.

Established in 1982 as a non-profit corporation, NORFI provides rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities and provides services in prevention, promotion of good health, identification, early intervention, assessment and training, education, economic productivity, integration and full participation of people with disabilities. NORFI embarks in the strategy of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) and utilizing available institution-based service/programs as technical and referral support base. Currently, NORFI has established CBR programs in 280 villages with a generic volunteer field workers complement of 260. As referral support to CBR, Medical, Paramedical, social services NGOs and Self-Help Group of persons with disabilities have been forged and/or established. Secondary rehabilitation services are provided at the Negros Occidental Rehabilitation Center (NORC) catering to the needs of the whole Negros Occidental and neighboring provinces.