PWD Awareness Celebration 2016 the PSEFI-SKILLS Way

July 6 Seminar: Unlocking Opportunites, Braving the Challenges

We had a very busy schedule in this recently concluded month of July as we celebrated the school-wide PWD or Persons With Disabilities Month here in PSEFI-SKILLS, with the theme, "Unlocking Opportunities, Braving the Challenges."

The kick-off activity was during the flag ceremony with our Senior High School students last July 4, Monday, wherein the Philippine National Anthem, Doxology, Inspirational Message for the Week delivered by Dr. Maritess H. Requina, our Executive Director, were all accompanied with sign language by our HR Encoder, Jovelyn Ortega.

The highlight of our PWD celebration was last July 6, Wednesday, when we had a whole day seminar for our Deaf brethren at the SKILLS Multipurpose Hall. We invited four speakers who all agreed to support us in our advocacy to train the Deaf. We were truly very fortunate to have with us the following speakers: Ms. Angelie Arleen Z. Infantado, Deputy Director of Welcome Home Foundation, Inc. in Bacolod City, Ms. Abby S. Yenko, Training Manager of Quest Hotel, Ms. Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre, Director IV of the Department of Social Welfare and

Our Deaf seminar participants taking a hearty lunch

Development Region VII, and Ms. Sheila Marie C. Cagang, Senior Labor & Employment Officer of the Department of Labor and Employment Region VII. We are grateful to Mr. Jeremy Sates, our sign language interpreter, who did a lot of work the whole day in order to communicate effectively to our seminar participants. Gualandi Mission for the Deaf gathered 50 participants from the Deaf community they are taking care of, some of whom will be our future students who will study Housekeeping NC II. Thanks also to the full support of Sr. Susan Besidilla of Gualandi, and Mrs. Bernadette Gallego of LINK Center for the Deaf, our partners in training our Deaf brethren, for making our whole day seminar possible.

Ms. Arleen of Welcome Home, with Jeremy, interpreter

Ms. Arleen Infantado talked about Essential Work Ethics and Opportunities for PWDs, with Welcome Home's experience as jump-off point. She presented to us the different livelihood programs they have initiated in order to give a brighter future for their Deaf beneficiaries. Welcome Home Foundation, Inc. (WHFI) is a non-profit, non-government organization serving the Deaf people of the Philippines. It has facilities in the Visayas and Mindanao, supporting the Deaf in education, ministry and outreach. It is Catholic in orientation as it was started in 1983 by the late Fr. Joe Coyle, S.S.C., a Catholic priest assigned in Bacolod City, who pursued Special Religious Education, teaching catechism in sign language. WHFI was also founded by the late Mrs. Salvacion V. Tinsay of Bacolod City. Her daughter, Mrs. Agnes Tinsay-Jalandoni now heads the foundation as its President and CEO.

Ms. Abby of Quest Hotel

Ms. Abby Yenko, a staunch supporter of SKILLS' training advocacy for the Deaf, discussed about Professionalism at Work from an Employer's Perspective. She is currently the Training Manager of Quest Hotel and Conference Center, one of the leading hotels in Cebu City. Quest has opened its doors to our Deaf brethren by taking in trainees for their Housekeeping department, and eventually employing them soon after graduation.

Ms. Evelyn of DSWD

Ms. Sheila of DOLE

Ms. Evelyn Macapobre of DSWD enlightened us about the Rights of PWDs and how we can all further protect them at work and in the community. Ms. Sheila Marie Cagang of DOLE then talked to us about Livelihood Opportunities for PWDs in the country. She promoted the entrepreneurial programs of the government and enthused the seminar participants to have the confidence to start their own businesses.

Mediamen from Sun Star, Freeman and CDN

Dr. Tess Requina during the presscon

We also held a mini-press conference before lunch break during the seminar where we invited some members of the media from Sun Star, Cebu Daily News (CDN) and the Freeman to feature our training advocacy for the Deaf. Dr. Tess Requina, our Executive Director, and Sr. Susan of Gualandi joined our morning speakers in entertaining all the questions that pertain to training the Deaf.

Last July 7, we had a whole afternoon of Basic Sign Language Training given by Mr. Jeremy Sates. All our Grade 11 students attended the said activity along with some employees from the affiliates of the Primary Group of Builders. We had an enjoyable time learning signs and how to spell out our names using the Filipino Sign Language. This activity was organized in order to equip us with the communication skill to make our future Deaf students welcome here in SKILLS, your Deaf-friendly campus here in Cebu City.

There were also 2 film showings that took place last month which featured persons with disabilities who succeeded in life. Our Senior High School students watched The Miracle Worker: The Life of Helen Keller, and Every Child Is Special, a Hindi drama film that talked about a boy who struggled to cope with his learning disability.

At Ayala Center Cebu during the PWD Organizations Exhibit

The month ended with an opportunity for us to showcase what we do for our PWD brethren, specifically the Deaf.

The Provincial Government of Cebu through its Social Welfare and Development Office spearheaded a 5-day exhibit featuring organizations that cater to the needs of PWDs in the province. This was held at Ayala Center Cebu's Activity Center from July 22-26 (Fri-Tue). PSEFI-SKILLS had the chance to talk about how some of our tech-voc programs are helping the Deaf enter mainstream society. Housekeeping NC II, Household Services NC II, Tile Setting NC II, Hilot Wellness Massage NC II were the programs highlighted as the avenues by which the Deaf can start a fruitful career in the hospitality and construction industries.

We are all looking forward to more opportunities to collaborate and increase our number of partners in pushing for the empowerment of the Deaf through training, education and gainful employment.