PWDs Spend White Cane Safety Day in Mall

Thirty (30) visually-impaired trainees of the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC II) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) joined the recently celebrated White Cane Safety Day.

White Cane Safety Day is a yearly celebration to promote and protect the physical, moral, and social well-being of all persons with disabilities (PWDs).

To highlight the celebration, the visually-impaired trainees toured SM City Cebu.

They experienced taking the escalator and elevator and toured the different areas of the mall.

During the tour, the trainees were also oriented on the locations of the comfort rooms for them to know how to use the modern toilet facilities.

While inside the mall, the trainees interacted with some mall personnel like the sales ladies and cashiers and had the chance to purchase items on their own.

The use of the white cane dates back to 1921 when a Bristol photographer named James Biggs used it to help him move around after he lost his vision in an accident.

He chose the white cane so that even at night, he would be visible to pedestrians and motorists.

The white cane is a symbol of greater mobility for the visually impaired and of their full participation in the community.

In preparation for the mall tour, personnel from AVRC II gave a lecture on the Basic Sighted Guide Techniques, Mobility Cane Self Protective Techniques and its correct usage.

The simulation activity followed where sighted individuals were blindfolded for them to experience the difficulty of being blind.

Other trainees served as guide to the blindfolded trainees to apply the basic sighted guide techniques.

AVRC II has been at the forefront of providing human resource development to PWDs in the Visayas region through various skills enhancement program.