PWDs enjoy free screening of Disney movie in Calamba

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – Around 200 persons with disability (PWDs), especially among the deaf and blind students, were special filmgoers to the free screening of the Disney fantasy adventure film “Oz, The Great and Powerful” at the SM City Calamba City cinema on Tuesday.

Karen Christine H. Tiqui, SM public relations officer, said  the movie experience left all PWDs glad especially the students through the special facilities installed at the SM cinema here.

Tiqui said the special screening of the Disney film, which was released commercially in March 2013, had captivated the blind through the special “audio description” feature while the deaf enjoyed watching the movie like any other movie-goer through the “closed captioning” or sub-titles.

She said that the PWD students came from the Special Education Program (SPED) city schools and Field of Little Hands School Inc. through the Department of Education (DepEd) city SPED schools that ensure inclusive education even to learners with special needs.

The SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of SM Supermalls in partnership with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the SM Cinemas has embarked on its advocacy to promote and uplift the rights and privileges of the PWDs.

The CSR advocacy on their free film screenings and other projects has since reached out and benefited PWD non-government organizations such as the Deaf Blind Support Philippines Inc. and CALL Foundation of the Blind aside from the DepEd schools’ SPED (PNA)