A school renovation project amplifies the potential of deaf community

Being hearing-impaired presents its own set of obstacles, especially in a world where verbal communication holds great importance. In the Philippines, this challenge is compounded, leading to a significant gap in opportunities for the deaf community, particularly in areas like education and employment. The struggle is magnified by the limited availability of secondary educational institutions equipped to meet their specific needs, with financial constraints and inadequate facilities further impeding their access to skills and knowledge.

Shery Funcion, the Principal of the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD) in Pasay City, has firsthand experience with these challenges. Her commitment to this cause traces back to her college thesis, which examined job prospects for deaf individuals. Since then, she has actively engaged with various organizations and volunteer initiatives, gaining invaluable insights into the constrained opportunities faced by deaf learners. Her journey led her from being a Special Education (SPED) teacher to assuming the role of principal at PSD.

"The immersive experience really showed me how important these projects are for our students—kung gaano kahalaga ang pagbibigay ng mga pasilidad sa mga mag aaral lalo na sa mga bingi," she underscored the importance of providing facilities for students with hearing impairment.

A facility that produces opportunities

In the century-old PSD, their senior high school laboratory building serves as the training ground for students. Its classrooms and halls, no matter how old, have always played their role in honing and preparing deaf students to have solid career prospects after PSD.

Amidst the competing priorities within the school and the broader Philippine educational system, the facility barely had enough funds for the rehabilitation and major repairs it needed. For years, students and teachers worked around issues ranging from dim lighting and leaking roofs to uneven floors. These not only presented structural concerns but also hindered the overall learning experience of students.

"Our deaf learners need special accommodation to fulfill their special educational needs. They need to have a conducive learning environment so we can optimize the activities and learning programs," Funcion stressed.

Funcion further shared that the 2023 collaborative project of the Henry Sy Foundation, SM Foundation (SMFI)—the social good arm of the SM Group, and the Department of Education's Schools Division Office of Pasay City could not have come at a better time.

"The rehabilitation of the Home Economics (HE) laboratories is crucial because students need to fulfill their performance tasks. These are vital components of our senior high school program to ensure that they acquire essential skills and competencies for employment post-graduation from PSD."

Through the collaboration, PSD has been provided with the much-needed facilities in dressmaking, beauty care, cookery, electrical, bartending, food and beverage preparation, ICT, and dance.

For Funcion, their Henry Sy. Sr. building serves as a great beginning that will help pave equal opportunities and create a future where deaf students’ abilities will shine within and beyond the four walls of classrooms.