Dear Governor Gwen

You were in my dream about some nights ago. It may have been a result of seeing your picture in the web version of The Freeman or it may have been because it has been some time that we have not met and dialogued. Or most probably, you appeared in my dream, as busy, smiling and as accommodating as ever, together with your dear father and your brother, because we need to see you very urgently regarding various important matters related to the civil societies in Cebu.

We understand, however, that you are extremely busier nowadays, especially with the forthcoming ASEAN summit. As I am also still in Manila now, it may be some time before we can again directly dialogue.

Hence, I hope you will allow me to talk to you via this column as there are two important matters that I am sure you will want to hear about the ASEAN Summit. I am also writing this directly as I personally believe, having witnessed your governance style, that you are the best person to immediately address this special request made by this very special but very important group related to the ASEAN Summit.

The first item I wish to share is the good news about a text campaign being circulated asking everyone in Cebu to help ensure the success of the December ASEAN summit as this event will benefit the people of Cebu.

We are sure that you and the rest of our local government officials in Cebu see in this ASEAN summit not only the brief splendor of this historic event but the more enduring benefits that can radiate to all Cebuanos and Filipinos beyond the summit itself. That is also the wish and prayer of everyone in Cebu for the coming ASEAN summit.

The text campaign to ensure everyone's cooperation to make the December event a huge success for all is an evidence that the public, from various sectors, are doing their share to lighten your load and anxieties and that they have heard and are responding to your call and sharing your dream to host the Summit that will enable all in the province to scale together, in a united fashion, loftier heights during and beyond the summit.

There are, in this province, however, a significant number of people who wish to scale with you the ASEAN Summit and beyond- the-summit-heights but they are differentially-able, in wheelchairs, or are too advanced in age to go and walk the distance, or unable to see and hear. They are referred to as the PWD (People With Disabilities) and it is their request that I wish to bring to you now which they emailed to me, c/o Ms. Adela Kono, Vice-chair of the Accessibility Monitoring Committee-2 (AMC-2) of the RCWDP-7 (Regional Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons) who can be reached at 0917-320-6565 or at [email protected].

Their request, as paraphrased, is as follows:

"In our Cebu City Development Council-Development Administration Committee working meetings, the subject of the disabled-friendliness of the new convention center has come up. Can you please help connect our Accessibility Monitoring Committee-2 with the persons responsible for building the Convention Center that will house the Summit? To ensure that this government building will implement and not overlook or neglect the accessibility law and while it is still in the process of being built, we would like to intervene now (before it is too late) by offering our technical guidance as to the current universal design specifications of the proper accessibility features, particularly in toilets."

"We would like to help ensure that accessible features are incorporated, not necessarily (only) in consideration of the ASEAN Summit participants, but rather for future users of the convention center, while it is still in the process of being built. The Center would be a good showcase for the government's level of compliance of our laws concerning PWDs and would add significance to this Philippine Decade of Disabled Persons 2003-2012..."

Together with Adela, her group and friends, we prayed together about who to approach about this request of theirs. Then you appeared in my dream, Governor Gwen. May I therefore forward their concluding request as follows: "Any support and assistance from your end concerning this matter is highly appreciated. God bless you. Hope to hear from you."

Thank you very much, Governor Gwen, for your time and attention. We pray that you stay blessed, that you may continue to share these blessings with all in Cebu, under your care. Until our next meeting, not only in our dreams, but in person.

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