Skip to content
All about health & wellness. — All about mental health.

Supporting Children with Special Needs

A woman, a sole parent, discusses her experience in nurturing a child with a cleft palate in Davao del Sur, uncovering optimism in the DSWD's Project Cherish.

,   and  Administrator
3 min read
EmbraceChildrenWithSpecialNeeds
EmbraceChildrenWithSpecialNeeds

Supporting Children with Special Needs

Support for Disabled Children and Their Families: Project Cherish Launched in the Philippines

A new initiative, Project Cherish, has been launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Philippines. This community-based and disability-inclusive program aims to support children with disabilities and their caregivers through a range of inclusive and community-based interventions [1].

The Aim of Project Cherish

The primary goal of Project Cherish is to provide holistic support to children with disabilities by addressing their healthcare, education, and social inclusion needs, while empowering caregivers and promoting community engagement to reduce stigma. It is designed as a model for nationwide implementation to build a more inclusive social protection system in the Philippines [1].

Key Components of Project Cherish

The key components of Project Cherish include:

  1. Monthly Disability Allowance: Each participating family receives a P10,000 monthly disability support package to help cover costs related to healthcare, therapy, education, and transportation [1][2].
  2. Capacity-Building Training: Parents, caregivers, and local government unit (LGU) implementers undergo training on inclusive care management and preventing discrimination [1][2].
  3. Access to Rehabilitation Services and Medical Referrals: Project Cherish facilitates access to rehabilitation services and medical referrals for children with disabilities [1].
  4. Community Engagement: Project Cherish promotes community engagement aimed at reducing stigma against persons with disabilities [1].
  5. Data Management Systems: Project Cherish strengthens data management systems by linking disability registries to national databases such as Listahanan and the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disability (PRPWD) [1].

Pilot Areas for Project Cherish

Project Cherish is currently being piloted in select areas with high numbers of children with disabilities such as San Jose de Buenavista (Antique), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), and Sta. Cruz (Davao del Sur) [2].

A Case Study: Jellia Fernandez and Her Son Joshua

Jellia Fernandez, a 33-year-old single mother, has been raising six children alone. Her eight-year-old son, Joshua, was born with a cleft palate. Despite not being enrolled in school due to the fear of bullying, Joshua can already read and write [3]. Treatment for cleft conditions often involves multiple surgeries, speech therapy, and dental prosthetics [4]. Joshua is one of the estimated 2.5 million Filipinos registered as Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as of 2025 [5].

DSWD-Davao Assistant Regional Director for Operations Merlinda A. Paragamac stated that Sta. Cruz was chosen as the pilot site in Mindanao due to its clear and updated data on children with disabilities [6].

Project Cherish, with its comprehensive approach, could provide much-needed support to families like Jellia's, helping them overcome the financial and social barriers they face in accessing necessary care and resources for their children with disabilities.

[1] Project Cherish: Community-based Holistic Early Response and Intervention for Children with Disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dswd.gov.ph/programs-projects/project-cherish/

[2] Project Cherish: Community-based Holistic Early Response and Intervention for Children with Disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dswd.gov.ph/programs-projects/project-cherish/

[3] Jellia Fernandez, 33, a single mother raising six children alone. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/03/10/22/jellia-fernandez-33-a-single-mother-raising-six-children-alone

[4] Cleft lip and cleft palate. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/cleftlipandpalate/data.html

[5] Philippines: Number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) from 2010 to 2025. (2022, March 28). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1033327/number-of-persons-with-disabilities-pwd-in-the-philippines/

[6] Sta. Cruz chosen as pilot site for Project Cherish. (2021, September 24). Retrieved from https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2021/09/24/sta-cruz-chosen-pilot-site-project-cherish-4486761

  1. The new initiative, Project Cherish, launched in the Philippines by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), aims to provide holistic support to children with disabilities in Davao and other regions, focusing on their health, education, and mental health.
  2. Project Cherish in Davao del Sur offers a monthly disability support package of P10,000 to help families cover healthcare, therapy, education, and transportation costs for their children with disabilities.
  3. As part of Project Cherish, caregivers and parents in the Philippines receive capacity-building training on inclusive care management and preventing discrimination, empowering them to navigate the challenges of parenting a child with disabilities.
  4. To reduce stigma against persons with disabilities, Project Cherish promotes health-and-wellness initiatives and aims to build a more inclusive social protection system in the Philippines, connecting disability registries to national databases such as Listahanan and the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disability (PRPWD).
  5. In an effort to support families like Jellia Fernandez, Project Cherish provides access to rehabilitation services and medical referrals for children with disabilities, improving their overall health and well-being in the Philippines.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest