"Live Free" Concert

Project Title: Live Free Concert

Project Background:

Life Haven, Inc. (LHI) is a non-profit organization of persons with disabilities duly registered at
the SEC with a mission to promote the Independent Living (IL) philosophy. The Independent Living
movement started in Berkley, California during the 70�s and became a worldwide phenomenon
encouraging the restoration of self-confidence and self-respect of persons with disabilities, promoting
active participation and awareness of our inherent rights such as equal opportunities. The movement is
striving for social change that will result to a barrier-free society where persons with disabilities are living
in the community and enjoying life to the utmost.

Life Haven's vision, mission and goal can be summarized as establishment of an IL centre in the Philippines. Life Haven is a member of the Asia-Pacific Network for IL Centers (www.apnil.org),Philippine Council on IL and an associate organization of Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability (www.apcdproject.org). Members of Life Haven have undergone orientation seminars and workshops about independent living philosophy and movement here and abroad. We have a steady progress with regard to our activities and the services that we provide. We have held several workshops and orientations of our own with guest resource persons from Japan and Korea and attendees from different provinces of Luzon.

Life Haven provides the following services:

• Advocacy
• Peer counseling
• Peer support group
• Peer visits
• Information dissemination
• Wheelchair assistance
• IL program

To sustain our activities and continue the services that we provide we will hold the �Live Free� concert on May 30, 2009. This fundraising project will showcase performing arts talent of persons with disabilities. The main performer is the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled Performance Art Troupe which will be joined by Filipinos with disabilities and mainstream bands that support our cause.

In 1993, the Beautiful Gate Foundation (BGF) for the Disabled was established in Petaling Jaya Malaysia. They provide accommodations, job trainings, education, recovery programs and various services including independent living programs and services to support persons with disabilities to live independently. The BGF Performance Art Troupe has proven their mettle as shown in their numerous performances like in states and cities throughout Malaysia, such as Sabah, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur. BGF Performance Art Troupe has made a Malaysian record by presenting a wheelchair dance with the most number of dancers and represented Malaysia in the International Disability Art Festival. Beautiful Gate hopes to demonstrate the beauty and strength of persons with disabilities; inculcate a culture of love; and bring hope, warmth and encouragement to the society through performing arts.

Purpose of the Project

• To raise funds for IL activities and services;
• To encourage cooperation amongst organizations from foreign and local to showcase their talentsin performing arts;
  
• To demonstrate the determination of persons with disabilities and the desire to live
  independently;
  
• To promote the greatness of loving and caring spirit of the society and their social responsibility.

Performance Date: May 30, 2009

Expected Outcome:

We are expecting that the audience of the show will have a better understanding about the lives of persons with disabilities and their determination, aspirations and their potentials as human beings. It is also expected that the audience will understand the meaning of independent living for persons with disabilities, more particularly, how people with severe disabilities achieve their independence.

Presented by:
Abner Manlapaz

President: Life Haven, Inc.


Email: lifehaven@gmail.com

The Winning President

There was a worldwide celebration when President Barack Obama was announced the winner of the US presidential election. There was so much hoopla everywhere. The people I saw on TV interviews exuded excitement and enthusiasm. For a change, in this last election it didn't seem like it was a Republican versus a Democrat competition.

It was a triumph of another kind. For the first time, this is mentioned hundreds perhaps thousands of times, an African-American won the presidential race. There are numerous African-Americans coming out and becoming more active during the presidential campaign and much much more during the inauguration day.

I have nothing against the African-American people but I think and I feel that when there is always a mention of an individual's race or colour there is always some tinge of racism. In the case at hand for example, I don't want to be the party pooper, but can we stop mentioning always that President Obama is the first African-American President? Can we not be like that grade school student who looked at the winner as the present President who will be in charge of the country and will take care of the people.

I'm not discounting all the effort and sweat and tears and sufferings and lives of everyone who worked hard so that there would be equality and everybody's rights will be protected. This is the culmination of their advocacy.

Let's not focus on the colour of the President. This undermines the value of the previous presidents and might have the same effect on the future African-American presidents. Let's acknowledge the winner as the winner because he is the most qualified and the one best suited to hold office. Let's be like a child. Why is he the winner? Because he is the best candidate. Because he has the abilities. Because he has the personality. Because he is the best person for it.

I'm hoping that race, gender, age, and ability will be used as adjectives and not as "classification".

Congratulations to President Barack Obama

Congratulations to President Barack Obama .

On the day of the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America, Malacanang Palace issued a press statement. It was seriously delivered by Secretary Ermita but I found it hilariously funny. The statement was (with the subtitle to add):

"President Obama can learn from other presidents including Gloria Arroyo."

I consider the last three words as the punchline, including Gloria Arroyo!! Ha! Ha! Ha! He! He! He! Ha! Ha! He!

On the same night before I went to sleep I had an epiphany. Malacanang is dead serious. After doing some analysis and thinking I couldn't agree more. There are lots and lots of things the present president of the United States of America can learn from Gloria Arroyo.

Gloria Arroyo is a living testament of everything that a head of a state SHOULD NOT DO!!!

First and foremost is not to usurp power from somebody else.

If you want to win in an election campaign and do not cheat.

If you cheated and you are really sorry have the decency to step down and never show your face again.

Don't be corrupt.


Don't force your cabinet members to be corrupt.

Don't issue a directive requiring members of the government to tell you first whatever they will tell an investigative body.

Don't issue directive protecting your cohorts from contempt or any lawsuits hence they can ignore summons to shed light on cases involving the office of the President.

Don't involve your clan in your corrupt practices, at least spare the children of the humiliation because of what you did.

These are the few things that came to my mind. I'm sure there are many many more (I'm thankful I'm not privy to all those horrendous things Arroyo and her cohorts did and are still planning to do and the agony of keeping mum of those who suddenly have "conscience attack" because divulging any information may cost them their lives.)