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By BEN R. ROSARIO

December 11, 2011, 4:37pm

MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker Sunday urged government to include sign language studies in the elementary education curriculum to make communications more accessible to some four million hearing impaired (HI) Filipinos.

Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Bagong Henerasyon Partylist) stressed that proficiency in sign language will also give young Filipinos an edge in actively participating in revolutionary information and com-munications technology (ICT) aimed at bridging the communications gap that has disadvantaged hundreds of millions of HI individuals throughout the world.

Herrera-Dy addressed the appeal to the Department of Education (Deped) shortly after keynoting the recent launching ceremonies for the Signals for Hand and Oral Understanding Training (SHOUT) program in Quezon City.

The lady solon explained that the SHOUT program, a project initiated by the Rotary Club of Quirino-QC, has piloted a sign language training for ordinary elementary school students at the Batino Elementary School in Project 2, Quezon City which also conducts regular special education classes for HI students.

Jointly sponsored by the RCQQC and BH Partylist with the cooperation of the Division of Quezon City Schools, the SHOUT program has initially enrolled 25 Grade IV and V students to learn the sign language and allow them to communicate with HI students of the school.

“With this project, we hope to widen an HI individual’s sphere of communications which current limited to their fellow HI’s and their relatives,” explained Herrera-Dy.

The partylist solon revealed that the SHOUT program will complement the Video Relay Service (Call Center) Training Program that her partylist organization launched in Makati last August.

She pointed out that the VRS has been developed by a leading ICT firm to help persons suffering hearing and speech difficulties communicate normally with other people.

The VRS includes sign language proficiency training and video relay computer program education, which are the main components of call center services for the deaf.

Herrera-Dy noted that VRS centers have started mushrooming in the United States and other countries that have strong government programs for persons with disabilities.

She also cited the RCQQC headed by Gil Basco and Batino principal July Villapa for supporting the project.

There are efforts to integrate the deaf community into the mainstream of Philippine society. The goal is to empower them and urge them to be productive citizens. At the same time, they are taught skills to help them with their daily survival.

More programs are being pursued to reach out to the deaf community. Aa three-day annual sign language convention was held in Manila, Baguio City and Davao City recently.

The Ascension of Our Lord Parish Church, in Lagro, Quezon City is offering Basic Sign Language course, a three-month course which has 12 sessions. Each session, held every Sunday, runs for four hours, with a total of 48 class hours. Part of the course is another 24 hours of exposure that will be required from each of the students which they will earn during church visits.

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MUSIC TO THEIR EARS — This group of musicians (above) may look ordinary but they are all deaf.

MANILA, Philippines — After almost 25 years, Maria Lena Buhay Memorial Foundation, Inc. (MLBMFI) founder and executive director Leticia Buhay proudly says that the school’s graduates are now productive citizens of society, despite their hearing impairment.

“We have a graduate who is now an entrepreneur and owns a chain of coffee shops. Another one, who graduated as valedictorian, now teaches at a prestigious school. Another one has his own graphic design company,” Buhay shares.

This success, Mrs. Buhay says, can be attributed to the fact that they have taught their hearing-impaired students how to speak. MLBMFI is the first oral school in the country for the hearing impaired.

“We believe that every hearing impaired child has the capacity to learn how to talk. We already have proven that in our 25 years of service,” she says. “For me, it is harder to teach a class of five hearing impaired students than 40 hearing students. Mas mahirap kasi, you have to keep on repeating they only hear the word for the first time, especially the younger level. But as a speech therapist, the moment a hearing impaired utter a word, umaapaw ang aking kaligayahan. That’s what gratifies us all.”

Today, the non-profit, non-stock school has become one of the most valuable institutions in the field of special education.

FULL COMMITMENT

MLBMFI was founded in June 1987 in honor of Mrs. Buhay’s daughter, Maria Lena or Lenlen, a Psychology student of Ateneo de Manila University who passed away due to cancer.

A speech therapist, Buhay gave in to the request of her patients’ parents to put up a school where their children could learn how to speak.

“The parents felt that since natututo na ‘yung anak nila how to speak, ayaw na nila sa sign school. Ayaw din naman nila sa regular school kasi there are 40 or so students baka mag lag behind. So they needed something special for them,” she recalls.

After planning, the school initially had 10 students and three teachers, including Mrs. Buhay. But by the end of the school year, the school already had a total of 26 students. Year after year, they added grade levels until they completed all levels from pre-school to high school. Since it was a non-profit school, they had to rely on sponsorships, donations and the tuition fees from students. Those who couldn’t GARCIAafford receive tuition subsidy.

When things became too busy and the responsibility too heavy for her, Buhay started getting sick. She was advised to close the school if she wanted to live longer.

“My children asked me to stop. But no, my commitment is there and I enjoy what I was doing. So I resigned from my job as a university professor to devote my time to these children. I was 50 then. I bargained with my children, we could open the preschool and grade school and call off the high school. Kasi the time when they reach Grade 6, nakakapagsalita na sila, many of them were mainstreamable. So lumiit na enrolment namin,” she recalls.

Today, the school caters to only 25 students from preschool to Grade 7 since they limit the number of students per level. They also accept full and partial scholarships, depending on the available sponsorship.

OPTION TO TALK

Mrs. Buhay says that one of the school’s main accomplishments is that they have shown parents of children with hearing impairment that there is another option other than just sign language.

“We made people aware that there is another option to help hearing-impaired children and not just to help them how to sign. In other words, there is an option to learn how to talk,” Mrs. Buhay explains.

She says that it is important that when a child is diagnosed with hearing impairment, he or she should immediately undergo speech therapy. The first five years of a child’s life is the most important period in speech and language acquisition.

“Normally a child at six months can already babble. But if after that period, the child has not spoken, there is a cause for alarm already. Speech is talking by ear. If the sounds do not enter your ear, if you do not hear anything, you will not be able to speak. That is why the children have hearing aids to magnify the sound. So parents can bring the child to a diagnostician for immediate intervention,” she advises.

Since MLBMFI students know how to speak they are able to communicate properly and they can do almost everything a hearing child can do. In fact, the school has its own rhythm band. A group of hearing impaired students can play different music instruments!

“We develop them holistically. We develop them socially, we bring them around town. We teach them basic skills like cooking. And they enjoy other activities like playing and listening to music,” she says.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TALKING WORLD

Mrs. Buhay says that although the students may not speak clearly like hearing people can, the important thing is that they can be understood. One of the advantages of a speaking person with hearing impairment is gaining employment. Since they can communicate, they have bigger chances of being employed.

“If a hearing impaired person is able to talk, his chances of being employed will be greater. There are certain organizations and companies that employ hearing impaired,” she says.

“We have to accept it that this is a talking world. A great majority of us talk, only a few sign. If they are able to talk, it is easier for them to be mainstreamed and take their place, normally, in society where everybody talks. Your chances will be greater,” she says.

She admits that she doesn’t know what the future holds for them but because of her dedicated teachers and staff, she is sure that MLBMFI’s legacy will continue, even for the next 25 years.

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Ency Encinares was  brought up in a family of musicians.  His mother  sings, his father is a trumpet player and a brother  is a music teacher.

From this  sonata-filled environment, one would expect his  time and talents to lean toward more  music.

But Encinares prefers sharing his Sundays with  a soundless community as a deaf-mute teacher.

“For me, real music is the service that I give to our deaf-mute brothers and sisters,” he said.

Every Sunday, Encinares spends  at least three hours  teaching  sign language, mostly to  parents or relatives of deaf-mute children at the First High School for the Hearing Impaired in barangay Basak, Cebu City.

For five years  he has offered his service for free, showing  that no person is too busy to do volunteer work.

During weekdays, he works as  an executive assistant at the Coalition for Better Education (CBE), one of the partners of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation. On Saturdays, he pursues  postgraduate studies in business administration.

“No matter how busy I am, I always make sure that I don’t  leave behind my volunteer work,” he said.

Five years ago,  Encinares  was approached by a deaf-mute man inside a mall who was asking for  directions.  He could barely understand the man.  The encounter left an impact on Encinares.

He  enrolled in a sign language class at the University of the Southern Philippines Foundation. When he passed the three levels of the course and earned  a  certificate of proficiency in sign language, Encinares decided to teach.

“At first, I was hesitant to study  sign language because it looked  hard to learn but  I really wanted to help the deaf-mute community, so I persevered,” he said in Cebuano.

At home, the influence of a family  inclined to music was  keenly felt.

When a brownout would strike, for example, his  father would make the children sing.

His father, a policeman, is a  trumpet player in a  group of musicians.  His eldest brother is a music teacher at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu,  and another sibling plays various musical instruments.

“Every time we had a program in school, my class would usually top  the intermission number. It’s  quite a challenge to impart music to a soundless community, but  it is also very fulfilling,” he said.

Encinares would have been a member of the award-winning University of the Visayas Chorale, but due to a conflict in practice schedule, he decided to let go and pursue his volunteer work with deaf-mutes and their family members.

“The smiles and the joy that radiate from their faces are my  melody.”

“That’s the best music,” he said.

As a Jaycee member in his college days, Encinares was introduced to volunteer work, participating in community projects such as feedings and  other outreach activities.

“So (volunteering) wasn’t really a hard thing to do. Music and teaching the deaf community are my passion.  I was able to blend with them in the spirit of volunteerism,” he said.

The learning experience, he says, goes both ways.

As much as the deaf-mute community learns from him, they also contribute to his personal growth.

“I learned so many things  by listening to them closely.  I learned how expressive, interactive and talkative they can be.   It made me more sensitive to people, especially to the deaf-mute, who needs a special kind of communication. This also made me a more responsible and cooperative person.”

The encounters have also underscored for him the value of  communication.

“We who can talk should learn to communicate well to lessen miscommunication. Because I can talk and hear normally, I have learned not to take for granted my communication skills,” he said. Fatrick Tabada/Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.

 

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Ever since I have been immersed with the Filipino deaf community, the signs of the words “Cavinti, Laguna“, DEAF, Ma’am Coryell and Happee Toothpaste always crop up. The deaf will most likely sign to me, “I’ve met that deaf girl from Laguna.” as if the entire province is populated by deaf people.

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That is precisely because of the impact made by my forever idol, the 88-year old Ma’am Aimee Ada Coryell and her wonderful quest to teach the Filipino deaf about God’s Word while at the same time put shelter on their community. I am so proud that I know her personally. I always love to listen to her stories and admired her positive impact to me and the Filipino deaf community.

To honor and recognize one of the earliest and most wonderful schools for the deaf in the Philippines, I reposted this very inspiring article written by Columnist Atty. Nelly Favis Villafuerte which was printed on the Manila Bulletin last December 11. Enjoy!

MANILA, Philippines — Two years ago, in May, 2009, to be exact, I wrote about Happy Hearts in Sierra Madre – a true story about people with happy hearts living in a community located near Barangay Paowin, Cavinti, Laguna, along the boundary of Quezon and Laguna provinces – and within the mountain range of Sierra Madre. To reach the elevated community located in Sierra Madre (2,000 feet above the Caliraya Lake) from the nearest passable road in the highway, one must walk seven and a half (7 ½) kilometers for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on how brisk one walks. This community I am referring to is none other than that founded, established, and operated by the Deaf Evangelistic Alliance Foundation, Inc. (DEAF, Inc.), a non-profit organization that focuses on the education of hearing-impaired Filipinos. Fifty years ago, or in 1961, a mother-daughter American missionary team (the late Ada Mable Corryell and her daughter Aimee Ada Coryell, now 88 years old, staying in the Philippines and still serving the Lord through DEAF, Inc.) arrived from Japan and saw the urgent need in our country to help our hearing-impaired Filipinos and to share with them the Gospel. And so DEAF, Inc. was organized and registered as a non-profit organization in 1969 to formally educate the Filipino deaf.

* * *

DEAF, Inc., after 42 years of God’s grace still exists.  Today, a community of 278, Happy Hearts thrives in Sierra Madre.  The 254 students (from elementary to college) and 24 teachers and support staff have through all these years been surviving without the luxury of regular electric power (a generator provides light only from 6 to 10 p.m. every day since 1990). Feeding 278 people with no kitchen appliances like freezers, refrigerators, rice cookers, and electric or gas stoves may be an impossible task to many of us who are used to enjoying the convenience of electric power. This is not the case with the happy hearts in Sierra Madre who use firewood to cook their food.

* * *

After 22 years of having no electricity, DEAF in Sierra Madre will soon have its electricity by May, 2012.  The lady mayor and other local officials of Cavinti are instrumental for this project.

* * *

While DEAF’s marketing is done twice a week to the distant town of Sta. Cruz, Laguna, a 4-by-4 tractor is used to transport the groceries/food stuff from the highway in Sta. Cruz, Laguna up to the campus-community in Sierra Madre. Only a tractor can go through the 7.5-kilometer muddy road connecting the campus-community to the nearest highway. And by the way, since there is no freezer, the spoilable food like meat have to be eaten on the day they are purchased.

* * *

“DEAF, Inc., survives mainly on love offerings,” says DEAF Director Slavador “Badong” Cuare, who has been with DEAF, Inc., for 29 years.  His wife Helen, DEAF’s guidance counselor, has been with the school for 21 years.  All their three grown-up children finished their college in Cavinti, Sierra Madre.  The unique feature of this school is that the teachers are equipped to be missionaries to share the Gospel whenever they go to the lowlands.  More specifically, the teachers have special training in Bible subjects and in evangelism.

* * *

This holiday season, let’s share our blessings with the happy hearts in Sierra Madre.  One may wonder what is the secret of the happy hearts in Sierra Madre.  It’s simply the close personal relationships of the teachers, students, and support staff with our Lord God.  Every day, at 7-8 a.m., the students have their devotional service.

I know this for a fact because I have two grown-up boys under my care now 19 and 20 years old named Timothy and Stephen (who were left at the main door of our old house in Naga when they were about three months old) who are studying in the DEAF (2nd year and 3rd year college, education) school in Cavinti, Sierra Madre.  They are both well-trained in the Bible, like all the other students, teachers, and support staff of DEAF, Inc.

Visit the DEAF website which our deaf student created.

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Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 46,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 17 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Abs-cbn’s Studio 23 saw the need to let our Filipino brothers and sisters who are deaf to understand the court proceedings and be informed about its latest developments. Also upon the initiative of Dela Salle – College of St. Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies and in coordination with the Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI), they were able to put in skilled Filipino Sign Language interpreters to do the interpreting.

Here are some of the video coverage uploaded in YouTube:

Here is a video invitation signed by Dean Nicky Templo-Perez of DLS-CSB.

The Impeachment trial is also live streamed on the Internet via ANC Live.

Enjoy!

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Members of AusAID and Philippine Commission on Women peforms the ceremonial 'whistle blowing' that symbolizes the 'Blow the Whistle on VAW' campaign, which aims to end violence against women with disabilities.

MANILA, Philippines — A woman with a disability is more likely to face the threat of being a victim of violence, may it be sexual, physical or emotional, than most other women and persons with disability.

Inequality due to gender differences and the presence of a disability may prevent women with disabilities from recognizing their real worth and exercising their right to be treated with equal respect and dignity as the rest of society.

Last November, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) organized “Eliminate Violence Against Women with Disabilities” participated in by mostly persons with disabilities (PWDs), government representatives, PWD advocates from non-government organizations, and other stakeholders. The highlight of this event was the viewing of digital stories of two deaf women, students of the University of the Philippines, who bravely shared their stories growing up deaf in a hearing world.

SPEAKING WITH HANDS

As these two deaf women “speak” through their hands, it was clear that they were oppressed in ways that challenged how society views violence, which happens even in our own homes and inflicted by people closest to us.

When people who are supposed to believe in them judge them as inadequate; when they are made to believe that their only value is to be of service to other family members and not as part of the workforce in spite of their skills and competencies; when they are taunted, rejected and simply ignored — these are tantamount to violence against their person and their worth, their feelings of significance in a world that is deaf to their plight.

When the deaf speak, we should listen. They only shout in silence if we refuse to hear their message that rings loud and clear — any form of violence against women with disabilities should not be tolerated.

Sam Chittick, governance adviser of AusAID, reported that in one study of 245 women with disabilities, 40 percent had experienced abuse, 12 percent got raped. This statistic is higher for women without disabilities where only 20 percent experience abuse, and only one percentwould be related to sexual violence.

There may be many other cases of abuse among women with disabilities, but these are not reported. In the case of the deaf victim, aside from the emotional, physical and psychological trauma she has undergone, she may not be able to communicate and express what she has gone through in a hearing world that is most of the time apathetic to the plight of deaf women.

We can choose to hear the deaf speak by supporting AusAID’s campaign to end violence against women with disabilities.

In cooperation with the Philippine Commission on Women, AusAID launched “Blow the Whistle on Violence Against Women (VAW),” an advocacy campaign, both symbolic and practical, to end any form of violence against women with disabilities. Everyone is entitled to a life free from violence and a voice to speak, even if that voice can only be heard if we choose to listen.

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