Paralympics: Spheres of Recognition for PWDs in the Philippines

My aim in this paper is to explore ways making Paralympics as venues for recognition of the most vulnerable sector of the country, the persons with disability. In this paper, I argue that the PWDs are one of the most marginalized and disenfranchised social classes in the country that have been subjected to several forms of injustice and misrecognition and, thus, the most that they could do is to struggle for the recognition of their rights and privileges as co-equalFilipino citizens. Recognition is a vital need of every human person, especially to the differently abled. Using Honneths theory of the struggle for recognition, I will attempt to show that by participating in Paralympics, Filipino PWDs are able to gain self-confidence, self-respect and self-esteem, which are necessary for achieving self-realization and autonomy.