The celebration of Valentine’s Day for the Area Vocational and Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II of DSWD Field Office VII was filled with lively-and fun-filled activities to show love and affection to both PWD clients and staff of the facility.

Trainees serenaded the center staff and gave them bouquets of flowers and special treats like chocolates, balloons, and love cards. They also asked for a small amount of donation to raise funds for the benefit of the Student Training Council (STC) of AVRC II.

Some of the trainees also showcased their talents through a “balak,” or spoken poetry act, and vied for the King and Queen of Hearts through a unique dating game called “It’s a Date!.”

The search for a Valentine was like a compatibility game. For the first part of the contest, seven (7) ladies were paired with three (3) gentlemen. Blindfolded, the lady picked a question from a bowl. The three (3) gentlemen answered the same question. The lady chose the gentleman with the best answer as her Valentine.

The second part of the contest was the declaration of the King and Queen of Hearts, where judges, composed of the center’s section heads, selected who among the seven couples had the best response to the questions raised by the judges and the best chemistry that captured the hearts of the audience. Melton Torres and Felisa Juesan were unanimously declared this year’s AVRC II King and Queen of Hearts.

The activities were then followed by an oath-taking ceremony for the new set of officers of the Student Training Council (STC).

Dynamics of Love, Courtship, and Marriage among PWDs

Another activity was a talk on Love, Courtship, and Marriage, part of the Social Group Treatment Plan, wherein PWD clients immersed themselves in topics like types of love, the definition of courtship, how to achieve a happy marriage, and understanding the importance of sex.

The clients considered the talk important as they commit to finding partners who will help them in their lifelong commitment and responsibility to become productive members of society despite their disabilities.

Social worker Aster Geraldizo, the activity facilitator, said that part of the session served as a reflection to understand how they were raised by their families in different situations that may or may not affect their behaviors as individuals with special needs.

Sessions like this, especially on the part of marriage are one way to contribute to how they look at things in life and probably change the way they think of finding partners and building their own families while becoming productive members of society, she said. ###

(38) Views