The town of Mulanay in Quezon province has come a long way from the underserved rural community portrayed in the 1996 award-winning film Mulanay: Sa Pusod ng Paraiso, directed by Gil Portes. While the movie depicted a village lacking in infrastructure and a community deeply rooted in tradition and reluctant to embrace modern medicine, present-day Mulanay is now a first-class municipality where diversity and inclusion thrive, opening opportunities for residents in challenging circumstances such as persons with disabilities.

Aiming to build a more inclusive and compassionate learning environment, members of the University of Batangas (UB) community recently took part in a disability sensitivity training aimed at fostering empathy, awareness, and inclusion within and beyond the campus.

The training, held in observance of National Disability Rights Week, equipped UB administrators, educators, and students to recognize everyday barriers faced by persons with disabilities, and to promote accessible learning and communication practices.

PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. recently marked 21 years of fostering meaningful connections and empowering Filipinos through its shared value program, PLDT and Smart Communities.