THE Quezon City government on Tuesday announced that its Kabahagi Center for Children with Disabilities is now officially accredited by the Commission on Higher Education as a training facility for physical therapy and occupational therapy.
The Kabahagi Center is the first and only local government-run facility in the country to receive such distinction for community-based learning experience for students.
“We are honored by this recognition, which underscores our city’s unwavering commitment to building an inclusive and accessible future,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
“Through the Kabahagi Center, we not only empower families and improve children’s lives. We also help shape a new generation of health professionals grounded on service and compassion,” she added.
The milestone affirms that Kabahagi Center’s rehabilitation services meet CHED’s rigorous standards, qualifying it as a premier learning ground for future therapy professionals.
With this accreditation, the center is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact on indigent children with disabilities and their families.
The CHED accreditation follows a string of national recognitions earned by the center in recent months.
In March, Kabahagi was awarded first place in the 2024 Gelia Castillo Award for Research in Social Innovations in Health by the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.
Its winning initiative, “Rehabilitation for All: FlexiCoaching as a Sustainable Model for Universal Access to Disability Care,” offers a ground-breaking 10-session coaching module that equips parents and caregivers with essential therapy techniques in physical, occupational, or speech therapy, allowing them to actively support their children’s development from home.
In 2024, Kabahagi Center was also recognized as the sole recipient of the Government Best Practice Recognition by the Development Academy of the Philippines, standing out among 69 entries nationwide for its exemplary model of holistic and inclusive disability care.
Established in 2018 through City Ordinance No. SP-2718, S-2018, the Kabahagi Center delivers integrated support services across health, education, livelihood, and social empowerment for children with disabilities.