Senate honors Agcaoili for selfless dedication to welfare of persons with disability

The Senate adopted a resolution lauding and honoring an exemplary Filipino for his selfless dedication to the welfare and empowerment of persons with disability.

Senate Resolution 826 was introduced by Senate Minority Franklin Drilon. He said the late Manuel "Noli" V. Agcaoili was himself a disabled person when a severe case of polio damaged his left leg permanently when he contracted the disease at the age of two.

But the disability did not hamper the young Agcaoili from achieving his goals and ambitions. He obtained a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Banking and Finance from the University of the East in 1961, and a post graduate degree in Advertising Management, Product Management and Marketing Management and Strategy from the Ateneo de Manila in 1967.

"He did not let his disability hinder him from achieving great things and instead it impelled him to render tireless service to the nation, particularly the community which was close to his heart. He used his experience and influence to empower and help other Filipinos with disabilities," Drilon said.

Drilon said Agcaoili worked tirelessly and rose from the ranks to various executive positions in prestigious companies such as Manva Holdings Inc., J. Romero & Associates, Interpol Resources Corp., Fil-Estate, Realty Corporation, Econ Concrete Inc., Antipolo Properties, Inc., Gencars Incorporated, Health Maintenance, Inc. Cocofed Marketing Corp., Coconut Investment Company, Palawan Energy Development Corp., and many others.

After gaining prominence and success as a businessman and corporate executive, Drilon said Agcaoili decided to devote his time, efforts, and resources to help fellow persons with disability and joined various civic organizations such as the Rotary Club, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Impact Foundation Philippines, Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, National Council on Disability Affairs, Alyansa ng May Kapansanang Pinoy (Akap-Pinoy), DepEd Advisory Council on Children and Youth with Disabilities, Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (Philcoched) and the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde's Center for Inclusive Education.

In 2004, Agcaoili established the Nova Foundation for the Differently Abled Persons, Inc., with the aim of creating a training center to teach persons with disability for entry into the BPO industry and into data processing sector of the IT industry, with the help of local and foreign non-government organizations such as the Christoffel Blinden Mission, the Abilis Foundation, the Microsoft Foundation, AUSAID, and the World Bank.

Drilon said Agcaoili also helped organize AKAP-Pinoy, the only 10 nationwide federation of Disabled Peoples' Organizations (DPOs) with 456 members, 11 affiliates and branches; and initiated the teaching of computer literacy and data processing courses to wounded and disabled soldiers to help them integrate to civilian life. He said Agcaoili also found employment for more than a thousand trained persons with disability through a foundation he established.

"In March 2021, he was given the "Special Mabini Award for Lifetime Achievement" by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRD), Inc., the oldest NGO in the country to work for the interests of PWDs, for his untiring and selfless advocacy to uplift the welfare and champion the empowerment of persons with disability. On April 18, 2021, Manuel "Noli" V. Agcaoili passed away and left a legacy of determination and perseverance that will inspire our people, particularly those with physical limitations, and the enduring lesson that disability is not an obstacle to success and achieving great things," Drilon said.