The great difference now..

CEBU, Philippines - You will immediately notice that when you enter a room with over 30 people, it would normally be noisy. It was different when I entered one of the function rooms at the University of the Visayas Hotel and Restaurant Laboratory, one afternoon. It was quiet despite all the interaction going on in the room. I was among the hearing-impaired.

Today, 36 hearing-impaired students from all over Cebu and the neighboring provinces, will be graduating after taking a free TESDA-accredited 15-day course on housekeeping. The course is my passion, providing the 36 deaf individuals the ticket to a better life.

I used to have feeding projects but later realized that these only provided a meal. My Papa Inting used to say “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” So, I thought of helping the hearing-impaired acquire skills in earning a living.

The Deaf Hear Society in Mandaue City saw my course on housekeeping as an opportunity to help their members gain employment. It said:

“It cannot be denied that when an employer has a choice of a hearing applicant compared to one who is hearing-impaired, employers would go for the former. Maglisod gyod sila ug apply for work. Mao na nga magsige na lang ug barkada barkada because they feel accepted in their circle of friends. The course is a big opportunity for them to show that they are capable with documents to prove it, because of the TESDA certification.”

The 36 students are quite a mix – high school graduates, college undergrads, degree holders, single parents, and a married couple. Most are from Mandaue, being regulars at the Mission for the Deaf in Banilad, but there are also some from Cebu City, Talisay City, Bohol, and there is even one from Iloilo.

Their common ground is the Mission for the Deaf in Banilad and some are also members of the Cebu Association for the Deaf.

A lot of the hearing-impaired feel rejected at home, especially if they are the only ones in the family who are non-hearing. While the whole family would be interacting, they are just left by themselves. There are still a lot of parents who do not know sign language so they cannot communicate with their hearing-impaired child. This is why many hearing-impaired individuals love to be with their fellow hearing-impaired.

Many of the students have already tried working for different companies. Some have good experiences but most of them feel that their hearing co-workers, or even co-applicants for a job, were more favored than them.

One, for example, worked as a cook for five years in a popular food chain in one of the malls. However, when he had to go home to Mindanao to attend to a sick relative, he was fired. He has been applying for work since. He was told to just wait. He had been waiting for months.

Another, worked for a production firm and was the only hearing-impaired in the company. She was told that her contract has ended.

One worked for a glass factory when he heard news about the training. He was only earning P3,800 a month in his previous job. He quit his job to join the course, in the hopes that he will get a better job.

Most of those who joined the training, however, were unemployed and were just helping with the chores at home, helping their parents at home.

The students learned a lot from their 15-day course. Teacher Jhonny Castanares, UV-HRM Lab Facility Manager, also learned a lot from his students.

He was shocked when he found out that he was to take charge of their training. For one, he had no training in special education and he does not know a bit of sign language. But, as the days went by, he got attached to them. On the third day of the training, he was already learning the basics of sign language. He was really happy that he was given this opportunity to share what he knows and, in the process, learn something new and gain new friends.

I am grateful to Sto. Nino and Mama Mary for giving me this mission, my passion to help the hearing-impaired. Today, the 36 will graduate, and hopefully live a normal and decent life.

My fervent prayer and hope, Nena and I are so grateful to TESDA, especially to Director Sta. Rita and her faculty/interpreters in facilitating our program for these people, “Su-od sa mga pinalangga ni Sr. Sto. Niño” a livelihood program. Particularly in culinary, housekeeping, massage and automotive.

My constant dream is that these people may find their place in the sun and work and live like any other human being.

Yes, I have done my task, my mission for the less fortunate. Perhaps some kind-hearted individuals can offer them opportunities. Just like what I am doing. After their livelihood training, the university will hire two, the Gullas Medical Center, 2, and then The FREEMAN and Banat, another two.

It’s time to do now what we can to these “children of a lesser god” for we shall not pass this way again!

Make a difference now, not later! Today, not tomorrow!