The Department of Tourism – Region III in cooperation with the City Schools Division of Angeles in Pampanga initiated a move to provide skills training program for some 20 deaf or hearing impaired (HI) former pupils of the Angeles Elementary School here in Angeles City.
This was the announcement made by Regional Director Ronaldo Tiotuico of the Department of Tourism – Region III in a press statement issued recently.
Tiotuico said that the said schools division led by its Superintendent Antonieta Tiotuico and the tourism regional office partnered with Angeles Filipino Enterprises owned by Mr. Chin Ho, Nutrition Department of Angeles City local government headed by Arnel Calaguas in providing skills training program in the art of baking bread varieties and cakes on July 29-31, 2008 at the Angeles Elemenetary School. The partner agencies donated equipment like oven, baking ingredients and tools needed to furnish the production line including provision for trainors on baking lessons. Effective August 4, 2008, the graduates will start their business of selling bread varieties and cakes to bakery outlets all over the public school community in the city.
The skills program is aimed at empowering the physically challenged with entrepreneurial skills to enable them to secure a lifetime opportunity for business or find employment elsewhere. The program is also in line with the pertinent provisions of the Magna Carta for the Disabled where government agencies and private enterprises are enjoined to allocated part of their logistical resources to bring about positive change in the community of physically challenged like the deaf. Also provided for in the Gender and Development program of the national government is the provision to provide livelihood opportunities for both male and female, especially the disadvantaged sector of society.
For his part, Tiotuico will henceforth partner with the hotels and restaurant associations in the region in an effort to find employment for these new graduates and to enable them to do business with these establishments in selling their products.
The regional director expressed his gratitude and appreciation with due recognition to Ms. Carol Patarata, principal of Angeles Elementary School for providing the heart-breaking inspiration for the deaf to find their own place in society, for providing the venue for the training and a permanent place for their production line. Also due for recognition are the following teachers well-trained in the heroic art of honing the skills of the physically challenged, namely Melodia Delfin, Aileeen Liwanag, Edzil Conderilla, Iluminada Manalili, Editha Pena, Fatima de Castro, Nancy Guevarra, Alice Maglalang, Susan Cunanan, Joni Dimarucut and Ernesto Quinlog, Jr. Their unrelenting effort to provide special education to special children like the autistic, slow learners, deaf, blind is worthy of special recognition. They are the unsung heroes of the academe, Tiotuico said.
The deaf graduates have already formed their own association called Pampanga Deaf Association and is led by its President Jesus Jhuvey Guevarra, himself a deaf or hearing impaired person and teacher in sign language. His own special talent in sign language greatly inspired him to pursue and finish a tertiary course in Bachelor of Science in Education.
Superintendent Tiotuico, for her part, said that this is one opportunity for the disadvantaged sector of society to secure a brighter future for them and their family thru the able assistance given by both the government and the private sector. She hopes that this project would be replicated in other parts of the region.
For any donation or contribution to the “Help a Special Child” program, please contact the Department of Tourism – Region III, Angeles Sub-office, Marlim Mansions Hotel Bldg., Diamond Subd., Balibago, Angeles City, Tel. No. (63 45) 625-8525/961-2612 or email at [email protected] or www.visitmyphilippines.com
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