One day, a cousin who worked in a publishing house brought us boxes of old comic books. This sparked my interest in writ
LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES BEYOND PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS Rex Bernardo “My work is a testimony of my perserverance, passion for learning, and mission to promote inclusive education that cannot be crippled by my condition.” Rex Bernardo was five when he was diagnosed with polio—he was not sent to school until he was 19. Now, he is one of the founding members of the Philippine Network for Inclusive Education.
PHOTO FROM REX BERNARDO
Twenty-eight years ago, I felt freedom. I was nineteen then. My parents finally allowed and supported me to go to school. For the first time, I broke free to pursue my dream of studying in school. But before this happened, my parents never sent me to school. They just kept me at home, because of my condition—I was five when I got sick of poliomyelitis. I lost my ability to walk and unable to use my right arm. I should have gone to kindergarten, but because of my condition, I was not able to study. My five siblings, meanwhile, went to school. While at home, I still learned things. At seven, I started to love reading. My aunt, a Grade 1 teacher, patiently taught me how to read and write. I read a lot. I got books from my siblings, while I got newspapers
and magazines from my father. Aside from reading books, I listened to radio drama— my daily and constant companion. One day, a cousin who worked in a publishing house brought us boxes of old comic books. This sparked my interest in writing. At 15, I began learning how to write scripts for comic books. Without any formal training, I persevered and self-studied scriptwriting. I started sending comic book scripts to different publishing houses. After two years and 72 rejection letters from irate editors, one of my scripts was finally published. This opportunity allowed me to gain my confidence in writing. Consequently, my fiction stories were published in a leading local magazine in the 90’s. Later, the local magazine featured me as one of its most promising young writers, without the
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editors knowing that I never had formal training as a writer. I told myself then that I can make something better with my life. That having the perseverance, passion for learning, and faith in God, the possibility of accomplishing great things in life is limitless even with my physical limitations. At 19, I decided to write a sixpage typewritten letter for my parents to ask them to send me to school. There I wrote all my dreams and aspirations. I remember keeping the letter for three days before I was able to muster the courage to give it to my mother. It was before bed time and I asked her to bring the letter with her to the bedroom so my father could read it with her. I anxiously waited for their response, knowing that whatever decision they make will have a huge impact on my future. I vividly recall the moment when my parents came to see me after half an hour. They were both in tears. They hugged me tightly, telling me how sorry they were for all the years they had kept me in the confines of our home. I cried, too, as I felt how much my parents loved me. My parents recognized how determined I was. They finally allowed and supported me to go to school for the first time. It was the happiest day of my life. We soon began taking actions to achieve my dreams. I took the National College Entrance Examination, and I got a rating of 93%. This allowed me to study in college and take up BS Psychology. Since I did not go through the usual path of basic education, I admit it was not an easy task to master lessons I had to learn in various learning areas. Since I had been kept at home for most of my life, it was harder for me to adjust to school life and to start living by myself away from home for the first time. But the supportive learning environment at the
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Trinity University of Asia (formerly Trinity College of Quezon City) where I studied helped me adjust well into college life. The university helped me develop and nurture the inner leader in me. I transformed from a shy, person-with-disability (PWD) probinsyano (someone who grew up in the province) in my first year in campus to a PWD advocate and a campus leader in my fourth year in college. I became an active school leader and established the university’s first organization for learners with disability. I was also a founding member of the Alyansa ng May Kapansanan sa Pilipinas (Alliance of People with Disabilities in the Philippines). I went on to earning three master’s degrees and a doctoral degree from local and international institutions through scholarship grants. After traveling and studying, I returned home to serve the people in my hometown, Daet, Camarines Norte. Today, I teach here as a college professor. I also devoted time to support Gawad Kalinga (a Philippine-based movement that aims to build communities to help end poverty) in my province. In 2008, I received the Apolinario Mabini Presidential Award presented by then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I was also presented with the Gerry Roxas Medal of Excellence, making me the first person on wheelchair to receive the recognition as one of The Outstanding Young Men. I believe that my experiences put me in a unique position to advocate for inclusive education. I draw lessons from my past as someone who was deprived of education. My present engagement in the academe continues to equip me with knowledge about cultures and traditions in the education sector that can go for or against inclusion of people with disabilities. Being a leader in various PWD organizations aligns me with the desires and aspirations of fellow persons with disabilities to be
given equal opportunity. Now, I am actively supporting the Philippine Network for Inclusive Education (PNIE) and serve as a National Disability Adviser working for the creation and implementation of relevant legislations and policies on inclusive education in the Philippines.
Finally, we need to build inclusive cultures in schools and create inclusive learning environments, in which children learn together, and which enable children with disabilities to acquire the core academic curriculum and basic cognitive skills, together with essential life skills.
With the help of the network, I envision a learning environment where all learners, including children with disabilities, learn together in an atmosphere of acceptance, respect and togetherness; where educators are equipped with right tools and supported by the school and community in teaching and facilitating learning for all. The network aims to remove barriers to education faced by children with disabilities, including physical mobility, communication and attitudinal barriers, by advocating for comprehensive legislation and policies that will foster inclusive education.
It is my hope that with the support of PNIE, relevant and meaningful legislations and policies will be put in place. These must include a comprehensive Inclusive Education Act that encompasses all government line agencies working in the field of education; ordinances and support from local government units allocating resources for implementing inclusive education; and a strong support from the country’s leadership to promote inclusive education.
I hope this legislation ensures access and availability of inclusive education for PWDs by providing necessary resources, measures and adaptations within schools to accommodate different needs. The legislation also enforces measures to eliminate segregation between and within schools and classrooms. It is also important to work with parents of PWD and find ways to support them so they can support their children’s access to education. When my parents decided not to send me to school, I never felt that it was because they did not love me. It was because they did not know how to support me. They were not equipped with information on how to best support my needs.
As I look back at my younger self, who was unschooled at age 20, I have realized I was like many people with disabilities in the Philippines who have to endure the ridicule and insults of those who don’t believe in what I can do and contribute to our society. With the journey I had, I never expected to receive prestigious recognitions. All these have come as a bonus. But I continue to use these recognitions as a motivation and a reminder that I have a duty to help my country in whatever way I can. My work is a testimony of my perseverance, passion for learning, and mission to promote inclusive education that cannot be crippled by my condition.
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