WED | Philippine Disability Expo and Concert 2025 Draws Over 3,000 Participants in Three-Day Celebration of Inclusion | The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), together with the Project Inclusion Network (PIN) and the Philippine Business and Disability Network (PBDN), successfully concluded the Philippine Disability Expo and Concert 2025 held on December 2–4 at Megatrade Hall 1 & 2, SM Megamall. The three-day event gathered more than 3,000 participants, including advocates, families, organizations, and members of the disability community.
The Expo opened with messages from NCDA Executive Director Glenda Relova, PIN Executive Director Grant Javier, and representatives from partner agencies, followed by the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Day 1 drew strong public interest with its fireside chat “Beyond Labels: Parenting in the World of Neurodiversity,” moderated by actress and advocate Candy Pangilinan, and featuring Saab and Jim Bacarro, Ginger Gaddi, and RJ Jimenez, who also gave a live performance.
Day 2 centered on the global observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Highlights included the screening of Firefly—the first Filipino film with Audio Description, at SM Cinema 2, followed by a talkback session with the creators. Exhibitor presentations and a learning session led by Nestlé Philippines and PBDN further showcased and recognized workplace inclusion initiatives and stories of PWDs thriving in professional settings.
Day 3 maintained steady engagement with community activities, games, and exhibit interactions leading up to the closing of the Expo. The event culminated in the #PwedengPWDe Dito: A Benefit Concert on the evening of December 4. The organizers opened the concert free to all PWDs and implemented enhanced accessibility measures so participants could fully engage in and enjoy the celebration. Held at the SM Megamall Event Center, the concert featured a full lineup of PWD and mainstream performers, including Sugarcane, Anne Charmaine Santos and Benedict Banghulot, Melissa Corpus, Vincent Ebio, Eman Macaso, Princess Velasco, spoken word artist Igman Tarubal, acclaimed duo Leanne and Naara, and headliner I Belong to the Zoo.
With more than 80 exhibitors and thousands of attendees, this year’s Philippine Disability Expo demonstrated growing public support for disability inclusion, accessibility, and equitable opportunities. NCDA, PIN, and PBDN reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining cross-sector collaboration and amplifying the leadership, creativity, and contributions of persons with disabilities nationwide.
