Vision
Hope that can be felt.
To be a center of hope, healing, learning, and development for people facing crises due to poverty, health challenges, disasters, and life’s adversities.
A Mission of Mercy and Compassion
A center of hope, healing, learning, and development.
We walk with people facing poverty, health challenges, disasters, and life’s adversities—and help turn care into practical next steps.
Our name
“I am the crutch.”
Ako Ang Saklay, Inc. is a nonprofit center for healing, empowerment, and advocacy, founded in 2014 by Claretian Missionary Fr. Arnold M. Abelardo, CMF.
It began as a small volunteer ministry for orthopedic patients and grew into a multi-sectoral mission for communities in crisis, especially persons with disabilities, persons who use drugs, seniors, women, children, and youth.
“Ako ang Saklay... dahil ang bawat tao ay may karapatang bumangon.”
Mission
Compassion with a practical shape.
As a nonprofit, Ako Ang Saklay is committed to compassion, advocacy, respect, and empowerment for persons with disabilities; support for seniors, women, children, and youth in crisis; disaster response and recovery; residential care; technical-vocational education; livelihood training; values formation; and paths to healing and dignity.
Mission of solidarity
Faith that stands with the whole human family.
Rooted in faith, in the proclamation of the Second Vatican Council, and in following Jesus, the Claretian Missionaries and the Ako Ang Saklay community in the Diocese of Cabanatuan understand synodality as solidarity with the poorest of the poor and with people marginalized economically and physically.
The community defends the rights and dignity of people who are poor and defenseless, advances social protection for those who are weak, and works for justice, peace, and integrity of creation. This includes the protection of children and persons with disabilities, and advocacy for inclusion, accessibility, opportunity, and respect for PWDs.
The mission looks to Mary as a mother and model of gentleness, compassion, and faithfulness in serving God and people. It follows Jesus in caring for people who are sick, in prison, experiencing homelessness, using drugs, living with disabilities, or affected by disaster, conflict, and crisis. The Word of God and the Eucharist continue to inspire this service.
Listening, prayer, and common good
Every voice has a place in the circle.
In engagement with people, all voices and expressions are given the opportunity to be listened to and attended to. The community sits in a circle in the same dignity as children of God, sharing time, talents, and treasures for the benefit of the community and the well-being of the common good.
When the community gathers in prayer, it holds on to one another and raises its voice with one heart and mind, recognizing that it is one family and one in mission.
Our founding story
From a volunteer initiative to a place of refuge.
What began as a simple volunteer initiative has grown through the leadership of Fr. Arnold and partnerships with government agencies, the Claretian family, local communities, and mission partners.
Today, the work includes education, health, community development, disaster response, rehabilitation, counseling, spiritual care, and crisis intervention.
Accreditations and networks
Rooted locally. Connected widely.
The organization’s July 2026 profile identifies recognition or accreditation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Philippine Council for NGO Certification, and the Department of Finance/BIR as a donee institution.
The same profile states that support and donations may be applied for tax-deductible purposes. Donors should still confirm current account, receipt, and tax-documentation requirements directly with the center before transferring funds.
It also identifies active participation in ABSNET, the NAPC–PWD Sectoral Council, and Claretian SOMI (Solidarity and Mission).