Blind Filipino students feel pandemic, inflation crunch: 3 ways to help
MANILA, Philippines — Principal Corazon Salvador could not help but get emotional as she feels the weight the pandemic and the inflation have been bringing to her and the visually impaired students and faculty of Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB).
Traveling for many Filipinos nowadays could be very challenging because of the higher transportation fares and fuel prices, but more so for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Not only does a blind person worries for transportation fare; he or she should actually even pay double, despite the PWD discount, because a blind person always needs to bring along a companion, shared Salvador in a recent exclusive interview with Philstar.com.
“So laging dalawa, times two parati ang kanilang transportation,” she fretted.
If she would have her way, she wanted all of their students to be living in their dormitories so they would not risk traveling to school. One of the students was already hospitalized because of an accident prior to the return of physical classes.
“Kung papayagan po kami, ‘yun talaga ‘yung mas gusto ko. Lahat na sana ay ma-face-to-face na… Teaching the blind is easier for us to do it with contact kasi kailangan ‘yung turo mo individual saka iba eh. Hindi mo kasi pwedeng ipakita kasi ‘di nila nakikita. Unlike the other sighted, ‘pag may video ka, nakikita na nila. Tapos ‘yung paraan pa ng pagsusulat, ibang-iba. So it’s better if they stay here kasi si teacher, ma-iinstruct n’ya through touching. Sa amin kasi tactile eh. Dapat nga hahawakan.”
But besides the higher cost of going to school, the inflation also threatens the blind students’ proper nutrition. Salvador recounted that in 2020, the school used to only spend P25,000 in a week for the food of their 95 in-house kids. But now, with just the 25 kids in their care due to the limited face-to-face classes, the school is already spending P15,000 to P17,000 in a week – only for a one-dish meal. As such, the kids had to make do with just a handful of vegetables and fruits had to be dropped from their menu.
“’Di ka na makapag-serve ng may saging. ‘Yung patatas na lang, isama mo sa Adobo,” the principal lamented.
“’Yun po ang challenge ko ngayon, how I will sustain the food provision sa kanila kasi in a week, we are offering 30 meals. ‘Pagpasok nila ng Monday, you start serving na lunch until Friday lunch… Dahil po tumaas na po ‘yung bilihin, tumaas na po ‘yung presyo…”
Thus, as the country marks National Disability Prevention and Rehab Week this week and for the incoming first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, the National School for the Blind has the following appeal to their fellow Filipinos:
Plea for government to increase school budget
Salvador admitted that although PNSB receives a Special Education (SPED) Fund from government, they received a memo to use this only on educational materials and not on the students’ food.
“S’yempre po kapag nag-full blast na (ang face-to-face classes), the biggest problem that I have kasi ‘yung pag-lessen nila ng school budget sa maintenance and operating. Du’n po kasi kinukuha ‘yung meals nila. Kasi ang School for the Blind is a residential school dormitory, so kasama sana dapat ‘yung budget, ‘yung board and lodging nila. Pero nitong fiscal year 2022, talaga pong nabawasan ‘yung aming budget. Anlaki nang bawas sa budget namin. So ‘yung P2 million, naging P500,000 na lang. Of course nand’un na po lahat, ‘yung minor repair, teaching materials, inks, paper.”
During the limited face-to-face classes these past months, the school was able to accommodate only 25 students from three grade levels – Grades 6, 11 and 12 – because they are the students due for completion – with the addition of some Grade 9 students since many of those in Grade 10 are still in provinces.
At the height of the pandemic, the school was able to overhaul its dormitories using its limited budget, but the principal feared that their budget will no longer be able to support the dormitories’ capacity that has ballooned from 95 to 200 students.
“Of course, tumutulong po ‘yung special education fund ng LGU (local government unit), pero s’yempre po, hindi pa rin sasapat.”
Call for donations, sponsors
At the height of the pandemic in 2020 and last year, the students were sent home and continued their education through blended learning – online and modules. Salvador said a volunteer teacher stayed in the school to just process the modules because unlike other modules, theirs must be embossed in Braille.
“Hindi naman pwedeng gawin ni teacher sa bahay dahil ‘yung (Braille) machine nandito sa school.”
And since the students don’t live nearby, parents cannot pick up the modules, so the modules should be sent through courier, which is added expense for the already cash-strapped school.
“Big challenge for us because our learners don’t just live nearby. Hindi po sila nakatira dito sa malapit lang na Pasay para madali mo lang sila ma-reach out. So it’s really difficult but of course, we can’t do anything but to continue providing education for them.”
Teachers would wait for the students’ works even late at night. “Even at 10 o’clock in the evening, nagtuturo. Ang mga teachers natin ay gising para lang makausap ang mga magulang kung anong gagawin sa mga bata.”
While some parents and guardians were cooperative, other students barely could catch up because they didn’t have money for Internet, among other problems.
“Kami dito, naka-ilang swab tests kami dito kasi ilang beses din kaming na-expose, pero sa awa ng D’yos, ako po ay hindi nagkasakit kahit nu’ng kasagsagan ng pandemic ay nandito ako. At talagang lumalabas kami, pumupunta kami sa LBC na minsan kami na lang ‘yung tao na naka-PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). May mga bata din na hinome-visit namin kasi we can’t call the parents… Hindi na po sila nagpapakita sa online. Wala ring response sa mga modules… Kasi if we’ll not do it, pa’no namin malalaman kung anong nangyayari (sa kanila)?”
Since some students, especially those in kinder and in grade one, have not yet adjusted and are still very dependent on their guardians, the school had to acquire new technologies that would enable its blind teachers to provide distant learning. Among these is a talking software and synthesizer that costs P50,000 per installation into the school’s computers.
“Our visually impaired teachers also underwent a different training para naman po ma-upskill ang kanilang kakayahan pagdating sa technology,” explained Salvador.
“It’s really a sacrifice.”
Thanks to sponsors, the school has upgraded, upskilled its teachers, had budget for clean drinking water, and improved its facilities like the new dormitories. There were also those that donated Internet credits and gadgets with blind-friendly apps for the students.
Likewise, thanks to Salvador and their school staff, no student dropped out at the height of the pandemic. Still, many are apprehensive to return for full face-to-face classes.
Thus, apart from food, the school is grateful for alcohol, face masks, testing kits, hygiene products and other donations that would enable it to convince more students that the school is safe enough for their return.
“Kahit na tayo ay nagpandemya, mayroon din namang mga positive na nangyari,” the principal enthused.
“I know that all of those are sa provision din ng Panginoon. Siguro hindi N’ya talaga pababayaan ang mga special children.”
Have a ‘sparty’
Many students might be scared to return, but the principal encourages them to come back to enhance their skills.
“Iba rin po kapag naka-dorm kasi we can give other trainings. Aside from academic, we could give some training that could enhance their talents. Noon kasi sa afternoon, mayroon tayong mga clubs – massage, sports. Marami na po tayong mga atleta na naglalaro na po sila internationally… May mga voice lessons, (musical) instruments, tapos may massage para ‘yung iba, they can already use that as their livelihood.”
Apart from the classrooms and dormitories, what sets PNSB different from usual schools are its library full of books, and even typewriters and computers, in Braille; “mess” hall that is actually free from any trajectory that could injure the students; music room that could harness the students’ sense of hearing; and social distance signage in Braille.
There is also a massage room where a blind instructor teaches students a person’s acupressure points. When there are no classes, the room could be booked in advanced for a massage session or even for a “sparty” (spa party) for those who want to help the students earn extra bucks.
Salvador recalled that the students were also even taught dancing and the school used to have its own Rondalla and dance troupes that performed local folk arts like Tinikling, Sayaw sa Bangko and ballroom dances abroad. In fact, they have an invitation to perform in Brunei.
As such, are the blind students and teachers also on TikTok?
“Ay, oo naman!” the principal beamed.
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