Disabled artists need ride to Paris

CAN PRESIDENT Aquino give five Filipino artists with disabilities a ride on the presidential plane when he flies to Paris to attend a leaders summit on climate change in December?

“We hope we can touch his heart,” said Nicodemus Pahati, who revealed that they wrote the President on Nov. 12 explaining that they were set to perform on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) but did not have the funds to make the trip.

Pahati, who has cerebral palsy, and his co-artists belonging to the Earthsavers Dream Ensemble are set to perform musical numbers at a COP21 side event, including one with Peter Yarrow of the famed US folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary.

The artists need about $10,000 (P470,000) to make their dream of performing in Paris come true.

They have also appealed for assistance from the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). When they heard that Mr. Aquino was going to Paris for the COP21 leaders caucus, their hopes were raised that maybe the President would let them hitch a ride on his plane.

“It is our hope that you might let poor and disabled artists like us come with you and hitch a ride on the presidential plane,” said Pahati in his letter.

Pahati, who is both an actor and writer, wrote the letter in behalf of his fellow persons with disabilities, Rico del Rosario and Maricor Book, both blind singers; Bobby Superales and Edna Sanchez, both dancers, and Jennifer del Rosario, the group’s production assistant.

They expressed the hope that “kaming mga boss ninyo ay inyong matulungan (you could help us, your bosses).” Jerry E. Esplanada