Health and wellness is a primary concern among the PWDs. With the growing population of Filipinos with disabilities, they must be educated on stress and stress management for them to improve their quality of life and have a healthier, meaningful, and productive life. Thus, on June 19-21, 2024, the Regional Training Center of the Agricultural Training Institute in the Cordillera Administrative Region conducted a training on Bonsai-making purposely for PWDs held at the ATI-RTC-CAR, BSU Compd., La Trinidad, Benguet.
The training aimed to capacitate the participants to develop coping mechanisms in dealing with their stress, manage their health and thereby become more productive. This helps improve their quality of life by learning how to use time in better ways, (e.g. bonsai project, grafting and propagation of fruit trees and ornamental plants, etc), applying the psychological stress-free principle.
Ms. Veronica Siloy tackled the first module focused on Values and Work Ethics. She pointed out significant values and work ethics on how participants examine their values and work ethics as a guide and virtue to strengthen their character and individual abilities.
Module 2 dealt with Understanding Psychological distress and coping with stress and health management. Ms. Ylona Veronica A. Bayod, Department head, Psychology Department of Saint Louis University served as the resource person. She guided the participants to be aware of what is stress, the kinds of stressors, their effects, and how to deal/cope with it.
Mr. June Bayeng, Agricultural Technologist of OPAg, Benguet tackled modules 3 and 4 about grafting, grafting techniques, and Bonsai-making. Mr. Bayeng emphasized that bonsai -making is an unusual form of plant cultivation that teaches patience and mindfulness. Participants were engaged in grafting techniques and how grafting can be applied for plants to be bonsai. The resource person guided the participants throughout the practicum. Each participant came out with bonsai plants out of their witty and simplified grafted techniques learned.
A total of 26 participants actively participated and attended the said training activity.
