Friday, July 20, 2012

Persons-with-Disabilities finds work online


DAVAO CITY, July 20 (PIA):  Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have found suitable means of earning a living through working on the internet.

          Differently-abled Graphic Artist Association (DAGAA) head, Engr.  Darlito Palermo said his organization established by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)  has paved way for about 50 PWDs in Davao City to work  online, earning as much as P30,000 a month.

          Palermo viewed online jobs as suitable for PWDs who need not go to workplaces which, mostly, have yet to establish accessible features such as ramps.

          “The can work  at home. They don’t need to go out, commute and go to work in establishments which are not accessible,” he said.

          DAGAA-assisted blinds and orthopedics are now working online for companies based in Singapore, Netherlands, the United States, Australia and other developed countries, rendering services as virtual assistants, web designers, content writers, data encoder, remote PC assistant, among others.

          Totally blind, 25-year old Maricel Fornis of Sasa, Davao City shared her experiences working online during the Career and Employment Advocacy held Wednesday at SM City Annex in observance   of the 34th National Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.

          Fornis  said she lost her sight in a  vehicular accident in February 2002, but she rose from the misfortune by undergoing  a training for online work.

          She now serves as the virtual secretary of an executive director of a company based in Singapore. She arranges flight summaries, book hotels, coordinate meetings, prepare documents for Visa applications of her employer.

          She viewed online work as beneficial to PWDs who would be spared from the hazards of mobile barriers because they only have to stay at home and work on their internet-connected personal computers.  Working online makes them save expenses for transportation and fuel, she said.

          Fornis  also shared information about the values  and attitudes which had help her stay long in online work. She said  one  must be determined, resourceful, initiative, conscious about the importance of  global services and must be result-oriented.

          “Gikinahanglan ang right attitude. Dali lang tun-an ang computer pero dili ang right attitude.  Apan ang right attitude ang gikinahanglan kaayo. (Right attitude is needed.  It is easy to learn how to use the computer but not the right attitude which  is  the most important),”  she said.

          Meanwhile,  30-year old orthopedic Gil V. Alfeche   of Sasa, Davao City is now working as a quality control assurance officer of an English online tutorial company based in Singapore.

          Recalling his quest for a job, he said he used to do repair cellphone services, among other odd jobs he engaged in after  dropping from college as a graduating student of Computer Engineering of the University of Mindanao.

Because of  his desire to haunt jobs online, he borrowed money from friends just to buy his own computer unit  and had it connected to the internet. That started opening up fortunes for him.

          “Dili lang jud ta mawad-an ug paglaum.  (Let’s not lose hope),” he said.  (PIA-11/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)


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