CAGAYAN de Oro City — Twenty-five children with special needs gained confidence and learned adaptive self-defense skills during a two-day training designed to help them become more comfortable with movement, interaction and self-expression. 

The Oct. 2–3 Kaalalai Project was led by the Office of Member of Parliament Atty. Sha-Elijah Dumama-Alba in partnership with the Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC), ICares and MOSEP. 

The program was designed for children with special needs, including those on the autism spectrum, and focused on physical confidence, spatial awareness and emotional regulation. 

The first day was held at the ICares Luna Hub, followed by practical demonstrations at the CityMall Cotabato Grounds on Oct. 3. 

Dr. Jessie Steve D. Amparo, together with volunteer teachers from ICares, led lectures, drills and guided activities adapted to the children's needs. 

The program also included family empowerment sessions, music and dance therapy, and art-play activities to encourage children and their families to participate in an inclusive community. 

Dumama-Alba said the project was meant to create a safe environment where children could participate at their own pace. 

“There are quiet children fighting battles every day—against fear, anxiety, overstimulation, and a world often unprepared to understand them,” Dumama-Alba said in a social media post.

She said the activities helped the children learn, participate, remain calm and build confidence in their own way. 

The Association of Parents of Children with AUTISM–Cotabato City welcomed the initiative, saying the two-day activity gave their children opportunities to grow, gain confidence and enjoy learning with others. 

Parents, guardians, teachers and local sports coaches joined the activities, along with ICares Manager Dr. Imelda H. Mariano and Bangsamoro Sports Commission Chairperson Dr. Arsalan A. Diamaoden. 

The organizers said the project supports efforts to make sports and youth programs more accessible to children across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.