The Staff

PhilCOCHED Staff Members

PhilCOCHED’s secretariat is headed by 10 staff members of which 8 are full-time and 2 part-time. PhilCOCHED are also provided assistance by 3 long-term volunteers. A large proportion of the staff are persons with disabilities. PhilCOCHED also hosts interns from the UK as part of the Cheshire International Internship programme including therapeutic and development professionals.

Richard D. Arceño
National Coordinator

Richard has over twenty years experience in organising and managing programmes for persons with disabilities. Prior to joining PhilCOCHED in 2005 as the National Coordinator, his former posts as a community development worker involved in issues related to disability and development were as Commissioner and Sectoral Representative of Persons with Disabilities for the National Anti-Poverty Commission, as Chairman for the Department of Health National Committee on Persons with a Learning Disability, as an honorary board member for the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons and as Senior Adviser to the 1st and 8th Ad Hoc Committee Meetings for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities at the U.N. Head Quarters, New York, USA. During his time as a sectoral representative to the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Richard made major contributions to national disability movements in the Philippines including being part of a working group that lobbied government to adopt a 1% budget portioning for persons with disabilities and the elderly, the implementation of national registration for persons with disabilities, revising a national building code that includes strict implementation on accessibility laws, Executive Order No 417 Directing the Implementation of Economic Independence Program for Persons with Disabilities and Republic Act 9442, otherwise known as " An Act Amending Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and for other purposes; "for the provision of medical, related discounts and special privileges. Aside from these roles Richard was a founding member/chairman of the National Federation of Cooperatives of Persons with Disabilities, the Bigay Buhay Multipurpose Cooperative (the first social enterprise cooperative founded, owned and managed by persons with disabilities in the Philippines) and of Concerned Handicapped Students at Trinity College, Quezon City. Richard is also a social science lecturer and he has had the opportunity to teach in Trinity College of Quezon City and Child Jesus College in Caloocan City, Metro Manila. His work on disabilities and to other marginalized sectors has reaped him awards and recognition including the Rotary Club and Lions Club International Award for Community Services, President Ramon Magsaysay’s Outstanding Filipino Workers awards and one of five Outstanding Person with Disability Leader Awards during the culmination of the Philippine Decade of Persons with Disabilities (1993-2002).

Richard is currently working as the National Coordinator of PhilCOCHED overseeing all of the organisation’s activities. In particular he is responsible to assist in strengthening the governance and raising the profile of the national council, overseeing the implementation of its’ core programs, mobilising resources and extending inter-cooperation with other Cheshire service members across the Philippine regions as well as in the East-Asia Pacific region through sharing knowledge and experiences of implementing PhilCOCHED-LCD programs. Richard graduated from the Trinity College of Quezon City in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy, post-graduate study in public administration in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in 1996 and earned his diploma study on disability and social welfare in Kanagawa, Japan in 1999. As a person with a disability himself, this has never been a hindrance for him to travel across all regions of the Philippines and throughout the globe for the disability movement.

Cesar Azul
Liaison Officer

Cesar has worked as a volunteer with PhilCOCHED since 1995 as their Liaison Officer/Messenger. In his position he is responsible for assisting the accounting team with bank transactions, accounting data entry and the preparation of cheques and vouchers. In addition he assists PhilCOCHED staff with general administrative and messenger tasks. Cesar also works as a House Keeper for the House with No Steps Foundation, a different disability development charity and has been in this position since 1993. Cesar is an Accounting Graduate from St Joseph College, Borongan.

Mary Grace C. Cabrera
Program Officer, Support for Everyday Living; Acting HR Personnel

Mary Grace is presently the Program Officer for the Support for Everyday Living Programme, supporting the 35 Cheshire Homes in the country. She is also the Acting HR Personnel Officer that provides vital administrative and office management support to PhilCOCHED. Her function includes, but is not limited to, Events Organizing, Financial Support, Fundraising and Resources Mobilisation. In addition, she also works as a Secretary for the House with No Steps Foundation, a different disability development charity that she’s been affiliated with since 2002.

Grace has been affiliated with PhilCOCHED since 2003. She is also a member of the Inclusive Youth Centre (IYC) - a group composed of persons with and without disabilities. During her involvement with IYC, Grace was a pioneering member of the Young Voices Project in the Philippines, a project whereby young people advocate on disability rights most affecting themselves, using the Convention on the Rights of the Disabled Person as a framework. As an advocate for Young Voices, Grace was invited as one of the speakers during the 8th Ad Hoc Committee on the Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities held in August 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York City, USA. She was the only Filipino youth representing the Philippine delegation where she discussed the key issues and challenges encountered as a young person with disabilities.

Prior to joining the team, after graduation, Grace worked as an HR Personnel of Metro Human Resources where she led the recruitment, screening and evaluation process for new applicants. She was also appointed as a pioneering Secretary of the 3S Foundation, Inc. (Stroke Survivors Support Foundation) of the Philippine Heart Centre for Asia.

Mary Grace Cabrera was actively involved as a student leader and chosen as the only representative of the disabled youth sector to the 3rd National Youth Parliament held in Cebu City. She earned a degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Trinity University of Asia, Philippines in 2001 (formerly Trinity College of Quezon City) achieving an outstanding leadership award.

Richard T. Cepeda

Accounting Assistant

Richard joined PhilCOCHED as the Accounting Assistant of the organisation in July 2009. He is currently handling and keeping the books; is in charge of the recording, monitoring and checking of disbursements; prepares the monthly financial report and ensures smooth operations of the accounting department. This is his first time to work in an organisation advocating for the plight of persons with disabilities and he envisages working with the team for a much longer period of time.

Richard C – as he is being called in the office now, since the National Coordinator has the same name – graduated from Manuel L. Quezon University, Quiapo, Manila in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy. He became a victim of Poliomyelitis at the age of 3 months and is now wheelchair dependent however despite his disability this did not stop him from completing his education. Prior to joining the organisation Richard C. has worked for various companies (private and also in the entertainment sector) in teams such as sales and marketing, accounting and administration.

Richard C. is also a member of a musical group called the Rondalla on Wheels which has existed for 31 years. He has been in the group since high school and is now the group leader and teaches new members in his spare time. The group is composed of members of many different abilities including those with physical disabilities. They have travelled all over the Philippines and abroad to give inspiration to their audiences through music.

Marlon B. Fulo
Programme Manager, Inclusive Education Programme

Marlon joined PhilCOCHED in 2006 as the Programme Officer for the Inclusive Education Programme. During his pilot stint in the said program, Marlon, with the support of the National Coordinator, developed and introduced a localization mechanism (dubbed the “Community Stakeholders’ Interface”: CSI) that brought program interventions directly to community beneficiaries and encouraged the full participation of local stakeholders. This same mechanism also helped PhilCOCHED in the eventual implementation, drafting, monitoring and evaluating of the progress and development of the Inclusive Education Programme.

Prior to working for PhilCOCHED he was a Research Assistant at the Ateneo Social Science Research Center (ASSRC) based at Ateneo de Naga University in Naga, Bicol. During his time at ASSRC Marlon provided technical and administrative support to ASSRC’s research programmes which involved the monitoring of research-training programs, facilitation of development planning for rural and urban poor communities, supervising student research assistants and conducting field interviews. Other previous positions include Assistant Project Supervisor for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) feeding programme, Workshop Coordinator for the NAPC-UNDP Poverty Alleviation Project and Documentor for the NAPC Sectoral Council Meeting. Marlon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of the East, Caloocan City, Metro Manila in 2002 and is a candidate Masters in Public Administration (MPA) student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Graduate School.

James Paul S. Inawasan
Programme Officer, Economic Empowerment

James is in charge of managing and overseeing the Economic Empowerment Programme of PhilCOCHED. Specifically, he leads the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of innovative economic empowerment initiatives and strategies that will facilitate gainful employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Prior to joining PhilCOCHED, specific positions he has held include Adolescent Peer Counsellor, Youth Lead Advocate, Trainer and Consultant for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Commission on Population (POPCOM) and the Department of Health (DoH); Training Director of the Campus Journalism Program Arm of the Department of Education (Western Visayas Regional Office); Municipal Councilor of the Local Government Unit of Malinao, Aklan, and Municipal Federation President of the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) in his home province during which time he introduced important reforms and innovations to the council. As Municipal Councillor from 2002-2007 he was considered its most accomplished member having advanced a number of advocacies in the local government, authored and sponsored more than 60 crucial resolutions, ordinances and committee investigations/reports, and chaired crucial committees.

James has experience of working as a community journalist, an Associate Editor and Columnist and an Editor-in-Chief of a tourism e-magazine distributed internationally. He has attended and presented at various young persons local, national and international trainings including themes on journalism, gender, sexuality, reproductive health and leadership. In addition he has advised political parties on campaigning and strategizing, participated in the writing of two published books on local governance and youth participation, and on sex education. As a consistent honours student and youth leader, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree Major in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, graduating in 2007.

Marie Roderyne O. Moldera
CHIIPS Philippines Officer

Marie is a licensed/registered social worker graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from St Joseph’s College of Quezon City, Metro Manila. Marie always had a keen interest in working with people; prior to graduating as a social worker Marie worked as a basic literacy teacher in Gawad Kalinga, Amparo for children aged 3-6 years. After graduating Marie undertook an internship at the Kuya Center for Street Children, Quezon City, conducting sessions for street children. Following that she worked as a Field Officer for Children International, Abot Kamay Inc, based in Quezon City, Metro Manila during which time she was responsible for implementing, monitoring and evaluating the child sponsorship programme. Marie joined PhilCOCHED in March 2008 as the CHIIPs Philippines Officer. Her role involves management of the Cheshire International Internship Program (CHIIPs) in which she is responsible for receiving therapeutic and development interns from the UK and coordinating their placement interventions in collaboration with local agencies, and community support groups. In addition, Marie is responsible for conducting and developing case studies in particular for children with disabilities requiring medical intervention and rehabilitation.

Letecia C. Puzon
Technical Assistant, Inclusive Youth Centre/Young Voices

Cynthia left PhilCOCHED in July 2009. She worked with PhilCOCHED from May 2008 as a Technical Assistant to the Inclusive Youth Center/Young Voices programs. Prior to joining PhilCOCHED she worked as a Sales Representative for Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, a disability and development organisation and workshop employing a large proportion of persons with disabilities producing materials and equipment. Her experience working in the business sector includes as a call center representative for Alorica Phillippines and as an outbound call representative for One Global. Cynthia graduated from the Manuel Luis Quezon University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Virgie S. Rabino
Project Coordinator, Inclusive Youth Centre/Young Voices

Virgie graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Computer Science from Systems Plus Computer College, Quezon City, and she also holds a Computer Technician and Servicing vocational qualification from the DSWD – National Vocational Rehabilitation Center, Metro Manila (2004). Virgie has worked for PhilCOCHED since October 2005 when she joined as a technical assistant. Since then she has progressed to become the Project Coordinator for the Inclusive Youth Center - (IYC) – a membership group composed of persons with and without disabilities. Virgie is currently handling around 137 IYC young members in Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao and in the National Capital Region (NCR). Her experience as an officer/leader in the Student Council during her high school years taught her how to administer groups.

During her time with IYC, Virgie was a pioneering member of the Young Voices Project Philippines, a project whereby young people advocate on disability rights most affecting themselves, using the Convention on the Rights of the Disabled Person as a framework. As an advocate for Young Voices, Virgie was invited as a resource speaker during the Biennial General Meeting facilitated by Leonard Cheshire Disability in Singapore. During the said meeting, she presented the outcomes and outputs of the Philippine Young Voices Focus Group Discussions to senior leaders of Cheshire Services all over East Asia Pacific. Aside from Virgie’s vital role managing and implementing the IYC projects and activities she is also the computer support staff for the office including web page development, PC troubleshooting, computer graphics layouts and preparation of communications materials. Prior to joining PhilCOCHED Virgie had experience working as a medical transcriptionist/audio typist for Nova Foundation and as a computer technician and graphic artist for the Marketing and Fundraising departments at Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, a disability and development organisation and workshop catering for persons with disabilities.

Norma G. Salcedo
Volunteer Staff, Accounting

Norma currently volunteers for PhilCOCHED providing vital accounting support, keeping records of transactions, preparing contributions and benefits and keeping track of all financial records. Norma also works as the accounting clerk for the House with No Steps Foundation, a different disability development charity that she’s been affiliated with since 1991. In addition, since 1990, Norma has held the position of House Mother for Balay Kahirup, an affiliate Cheshire Home in Metro Manila. Within this role Norma carries out the implementation of the rules and regulations of the house, keeps records of donations, reports to management and ensures the house is run properly. In 1998 Norma carried out a stint as a Secretary/Marketing representative for Fil-Estate Realty Corporation, a real estate company and she holds a BA in Business Administration with a major in Accountancy, graduating in 1990.

David Vincent C. Tabaniag
Volunteer Staff, Advocacy and Campaigns

David is currently studying AB Mass Communications (with a major in Broadcasting) at the Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City, due to graduate in October 2009. At PhilCOCHED David works as a volunteer on Advocacy and campaigns. He first joined PhilCOCHED in 2007 as a member of the Inclusive Youth Center’s support staff team. He is particularly skilled at communications and features writing. Prior to working with PhilCOCHED, David has written published articles for the Atlas Sports Weekly, worked as a reporter for The Business Star and as a Sales Representative for Identic, a company engaged in the sales and marketing of Minolta photocopying machines. David’s interests are in public speaking and theatre acting.

Dexter C. Tiro
Programme Assistant - Job Placement Officer, Economic Empowerment

Dexter is the newest addition to the PhilCOCHED team and is working under the Economic Empowerment program as Programme Assistant – Job Placement Officer, where he will be mainly responsible for the assessment, skills and jobs matching, career counselling, placement and monitoring of persons with disabilities seeking wage employment.

Prior to joining PhilCOCHED he worked with a Quezon City based NGO working for the promotion of peace and development of Mindanao and in fostering better Christian and Muslim understanding and relations as an Administrative and Research Consultant. In 2008, he rendered consultancy services for another NGO working for the empowerment and capacity building of organisational leaders particularly in the field of population development and advocacy. He also used to work as Secretary to the Board and bookkeeper of a local credit cooperative.

He finished his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Caloocan City in 2007. He is also an active youth volunteer in his parish where he leads a team of young people who devote their time serving their fellow parishioners, young and old, through the multimedia.

Marife U. Ursua
Support Staff, Inclusive Education Programme

Marife is the support staff member for the Inclusive Education programme. She began working for PhilCOCHED as a volunteer in February 2006 in the same position, and she has been a full-time employee since April 2007. Marife provides administrative support to the programme and her responsibilities include events organising, administrative and programmatic support to Inclusive Education initiatives and secondary overseeing of the programme, in collaboration with the Programme Manager. Marife’s activities are undertaken in coordination and collaboration with communities, grassroots workers, non-government organisations, government agencies and Disabled Person’s organisations. During her time with PhilCOCHED, Marife has been responsible for coordinating and organising high profile events such as the Roundtable table discussion on Inclusive Education in collaboration with the World Bank and DepEd, and Inclusive Education Teachers Training for teachers, administrators and community volunteers. Prior to working for PhilCOCHED Marife was the Assistant Secretary for the marketing department at Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, a disability and development organisation and workshop catering for persons with disabilities. In addition she has more than 5 years experience providing secretarial and bookkeeping assistance in various organisations including Bahay San Jose, an old persons homes affiliated with the Kalinga Foundation in Cavite; the Municipal Social Welfare Office in Cagayan Valley and at Systems Plus Computer College, Quezon City. In addition Marife holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Systems Plus Computer College, Quezon City (2005).

Roni
Inclusive Education Programme

Roni is currently updating his bio

PhilCOCHED interns

Eleanor Challenger
Communications and Fundraising Officer

Eleanor joins the PhilCOCHED team as the Communications and Fundraising Officer. Eleanor graduated from the University of Manchester in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) degree in English Literature and French. Her professional experience has involved working for international development NGOs based in the UK undertaking large-scale operations covering Africa, Asia, South America and Central and Eastern Europe and she is therefore familiar with issues affecting people living in different economic, social and political contexts. Past positions include Campaigns and Events Organising for Oxfam UK; Fundraising for the Mines Advisory Group, a landmine clearance charity based in Manchester and Program Assistant/Coordinator for the Early Childhood Program of the Open Society Foundation, London. Eleanor has prior experience of raising funds from institutional donors and governments, trusts and foundations as well as individuals including organising fundraising events. At the Open Society Foundation, she was responsible for coordinating the bi-annual grant giving process to internationally based early childhood and development NGOs.

During her 6 month placement in the Philippines Eleanor will develop communication strategies and materials including the website and create links with local media to increase the profile of the organisation. She will develop fundraising strategies and documentation; research and diversify potential donors; develop a fundraising and communications resource pack for PhilCOCHED staff; train PhilCOCHED staff and Community Support Groups in fundraising/communication techniques and organise a fundraising event to coincide with National Disability Awareness Week, taking place July 2009. Upon her return to the UK in September 2009, Eleanor has received an unconditional offer to study a Master of Science degree in Global Health and Development at the Institute of Child Health, University College London.

Jo Murchie
Occupational Therapist, ICARE Program

Jo has joined the team during a 6 month career break from her Senior OT position with the NHS in Suffolk. Jo graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2002, with a BA (Hons) in English Literature. Following a rewarding year out in Malawi teaching English and Maths to community primary schools, and volunteering at a local feeding programme; she gained a lot of life experience, and the chance to live and work with local people responding directly to their needs. Jo returned to England where she completed her BHSc (Hons) degree in Occupational Therapy at York St John, University of Leeds, in 2006. Jo brings with her over 2 years OT experience in various settings, of orthopaedics, mental health and neurological conditions, and is enjoying the challenge of transferring her skills to the field of paediatrics.

With PhilCOCHED Jo is continuing the newly developed ICARE programme; training volunteer teachers and family members in the core principles of OT and offering hands on therapy with the children with disabilities in 3 different sites in Caloocan. In addition the ICARE programme is to be expanded to involve further community day care and health workers in one barangay with specific problem focussed lectures on OT. Jo is also in the process of visiting PhilCOCHED homes to identify the potential need for therapy and vocational rehab input.

PHOTO Martin Storer
PENDING Physiotherapist, ICARE Program

Martin is a graduate of the University of Cumbria and is a UK HPC registered Physiotherapist with a special interest in Paediatric (childhood) conditions and working in developing countries. He has had previous careers in engineering, electronics and Information Technology, the experience of which now helps inform his day to day practice. Martin is an active member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and participates in several clinical interest groups. Martin has worked through Leonard Cheshire International in the Philippines where he created the Inclusive Community Action Rehabilitation for Education (ICARE) project for children with disabilities.

PhilCOCHED

Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled