City library now has Braille devices

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Public Library (CCPL) can now cater to visually-impaired residents for their research and further learning after electronic Braille devices were added under a separate section.

Leoniver Gaquing, acting head of CCPL’s Braille Section and a licensed professional teacher, said the service they provide to the visually impaired capacitate them in their everyday lives.

Gaquing, who is also visually impaired himself, said they offer the use of assisted devices and applications such as electronic Braille displays and screen readers that provide text-to-speech input. A Japanese electronics firm based in Cebu City provided the Braille devices to the library.

“Gipahaom naman sa teknolohiya. Bisan gipauwahi nami sa panan-aw, dili g’yud mi magpa-uwahi sa technology. Catch up g’yud mi,” Gaquing said through the City’s Sugboanon channel.

Gaquing said the device not only serves as a keyboard for the visually impaired, but it can also interpret data into Braille once it is connected to a personal computer.

“So aside nga makabasa mi ani, pwede sad mi makasuwat. Kung naka-connect ni siya og monitor, mabasa sad namo kung unsay naka-output sa computer through Braille,” Gaquing said.

For those who want to learn how to use the devices that they have, the CCPL also has trainings to the visually impaired as part of their digital literacy program.

Aside from research and other readings, visually-impaired individuals here may also learn chess, which can improve focus, memory, and visualization skills.

“Chess is a visual game but take note that even though we lost our sight, our mental capacity remains. Through our mental capacity and the aid of our other senses, makaduwa gihapon mi og chess,” Gaquing said.

The Braille Section is located at the second floor of the CCPL along Osmeña Boulevard. CCPL is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City government has started distributing school kits to public school learners. Each school kit include bags, pens, notebooks, pencils, books, maps, and other basic materials for their learning.

The first day of distribution saw around 11,000 learners from four public schools getting the kits.

The city government earlier said they will be giving out school kits to at least 120,000 learners in different public schools here.

The first four schools are the Alaska Elementary School with 2,403 recipients, Mambaling Elementary School with 2,068, Punta Princesa Elementary School with 2,459, and Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School with 4,119.

During the kick-off ceremony of the distribution, acting Mayor Raymond Garcia emphasized the importance of education and said the city government remains steadfast in supporting the learners have a better future.

“We are showing our sincere dedication and seriousness in supporting the education of our children. Kay nahibawo ang siyudad sa Sugbo nga ang atoang anak, ang atoang mga bata maoy paglaom sa atong ugma,” he said.

Department of Education-Cebu City Schools Division Superintendent Nimfa Bongo thanked the city government for its support.

“We are very thankful that our city government is really prioritizing education… It is said that it takes a village to educate a child. So, we are thankful that our LGU is really serious in joining the village of the Department of Education-Cebu City in providing the best education to our learners,” Bongo said.

The rest of the learners are expected to get their own school kits from the city government this week. — (FREEMAN)