Zamboanga City, Philippines, August 09: With their white canes, eight visually-impaired individuals from the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) had the rare opportunity of stepping on the winding staircase of the City's cathedral, shop and has lunch at one of the local malls.

These activities were in relation with the nationwide observance of the White Cane Day organized by the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC-III) for its visually-impaired clients.

Ms. Fatima Caminan, AVRC Superintendent, revealed that the activities, which includes the mall tour and visits to some landmarks of the city such as the Fort Pilar, City Hall and the City Cathedral was aimed to provide their visually-impaired clients the opportunity to be out in public as well as provide them the familiarity of these places. Mr. Teddy Kahil, an instructor of AVRC who is also visually-impaired believes that through the activity, the public and the establishments will be encouraged to be PWD-friendly considering that these persons are also consumers.

The uncommon scene that day brought out a fresh new perspective to the witnessing public with the fact that these persons are also individuals who also long for (once in a while) the feel and buzz of the malls and streets. Apparently, the scene unlocked some willing hearts to be of help, to the extent of opening a door or moving away a thing or two from the path of the visually-impaired.

Republic Act No. 6759, more popularly known as the "White Cane Act" institutionalizes the celebration of White Cane Safety Day in the Philippines. Said law aims to promote and protect the physical, moral, and social well-being of all handicapped persons, such as the blind. The White Cane Safety Day which is observed every August 1, aims to instill to the public the plight of the blind, promoting recognition and acceptance of the "white cane" as a symbol of need of the blind for specific assistance and as a reminder of the individual's duty to care for and accord due respect to them.

The use of white cane as a symbol of the visually impaired started in 1921 by James Biggs, a photographer from Bristol, who became blind after an accident, he was feeling uncomfortable with the amount of traffic around his home so he painted his walking stick white to be more visible to pedestrian and motorist.


Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph