SM Cares blind awareness campaign made even wider, goes all the way to Cavite

SM Cares just launched the latest leg of “The Blackout Zone”, the organization’s highly
successful exhibit designed to simulate blindness in SM City Tanza, Cavite last April 24,
Monday.

Present at the launch were Engr. Bien Mateo, Senior Vice President of SM Supermalls, Arch.
Jaime Silva from the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Inc., Marlo
Lucas from the Resources for the Blind Inc., and Jayme Marino of the National Council on
Disability Affairs. Also present during the launch are Dr. Florencio Costa of the Tanza National
Comprehensive High School, Mr. Joebert Guzon of FEAPITSAT, and Coralyn Perez of Tanza
Municipal Social Welfare and Development representing Mayor Yuri Pacumio.

“The Blackout Zone” is the first exhibit simulating the blind experience in the Philippines which is
mounted inside a mall, promising an immersive and experiential tour of a day in the life of a
blind person for free. Participants get to fulfill simple tasks, like tying a shoe, creating a
sandwich, making coffee, and watching movies in a safe setting without sight. At the end of the
tour, the participants are debriefed by the blind master, a representative of the blind community
who shares their personal insights and how the challenges within the exhibit reflect the daily
experience of blind people. In this way, mall-goers, tenants, and employees are encouraged to
have a deeper understanding and affection for members of the blind community.

“We at SM Cares firmly believe that empathy and awareness are crucial to enabling a barrier-
free and disability inclusive environment,” said Mateo during the launch. “As such, we humbly
invite everyone to visit ‘The Blackout Zone’ to show solidarity, appreciation, and inspired action
to the blind community.”

Following the success of “The Blackout Zone” from previous legs in SM Southmall and SM City
Clark, SM City Tanza’s setup is the biggest one to date. First launched in October of last year,
“The Blackout Zone” has been visited by almost 2,000 attendees. The Tanza exhibit will be
open until May 14, and plans for future exhibits in different SM malls around the country are
already underway.

The Blackout Zone is just one of the many initiatives of SM Cares under its Program on Persons
with Disabilities. Others include the annual Emergency Preparedness Forum for PWDs and
senior citizens; the annual Happy Walk for Down Syndrome in partnership with the Down
Syndrome Association of the Philippines; and the annual Angels Walk for Autism in partnership
with Autism Society Philippines.

Through The Blackout Zone, SM Cares supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), particularly “SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.”

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, supporting initiatives
focused on communities and the environment. Aside from the program on PWDs, its advocacies
include Programs for the Environment, Women & Breastfeeding Mothers, Children & Youth,
Senior Citizens, and the SM Bike-friendly initiative.

To learn more about these programs, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares.