VoluntEars: EG Minutes of Love and Giving
Brigada Eskwela 2019 at the Philippine School for the Deaf
March Cahigan and Adi Tanchoco, ICONtributors07/09/19 13:07pm


Day 1

By: March Cahigan

About 30 volunteers from Enterprise Product, Mobile Marketing, Product Marketing, and SDA led the clean-up and repainting of school facilities and planting of seedlings at the Philippine School for the Deaf on June 14, 2019.

This year’s Brigada Eskwela theme of “EG Minutes of Love and Giving” inspired the participants to share their entire day to help prepare the school for its students come start of regular classes this June. 

Welcoming the volunteers is PSD Assistant Special School Principal II, Mrs. Shery Funcion as they participated in storytelling, feeding, and outreach program. About 75 Junior High School students received school supplies while another 75 elementary students received hygiene kits. Volunteers also distributed meals to the students.

In return, we were treated to a dance performance, a birthday song dedication to one of the volunteers, and a sign language 101. The students served pan de coco and rolls which they baked for the merienda of the volunteers.


Eman Gervacio led the prayer with the volunteers.

Mrs. Shery Funcion, Assistant Principal of PSD welcomed the volunteers.

Eve Guerra, Product Manager of Business Application as a Service read the story of “Little Mermaid” while Ms. Loren Bulalandi conducts the sign-language.

Volunteers with the hip-hop dancers students of Senior High School.

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Students served some pan de coco and rolls for the volunteers’ snacks.

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This is just the beginning of sharing time, services, and love for the students of Philippine School for the Deaf. The second wave, which was done on June 21, (see story below) continues what we started that day. We encourage more of our Ka-Globe to create more wonderful memories through volunteaming. Please visit our Volunteer portal which you could find in our internal portals.

Day 2

By: Adi Tanchoco

I arrived at our beneficiary school to what appears like a typical morning assembly. Students were gathered together in a semi-organized mess, animatedly chatting with each other, while teachers try (and fail) to keep them somewhat behaved. Just one big difference: there was not a word to be heard from the students. 

I was at the Philippine School for the Deaf, and this is the story of that day.

 

The day started off with Dra. Condes giving us a brief history of the school in her office, as the students gathered in the main hall.

Tracing its origins back to the Philippine School for the Deaf and the Blind founded by Dr. Delia Delight Rice in 1907, it is the only school in the country exclusively for deaf students. Through its 112 years of history, it currently offers Grade 12 courses for Pastries & Baking, Animation, and Food & Bar Service.

Outside the principal’s office, the students gathered in the main entry hall. 

After opening with a prayer, some students danced, then, Tines Soriano from SDAT began her talk on personality development, highlighting to the students how important it was to remain true to themselves. 

Meanwhile, other volunteers began to help spruce the campus up in various ways: painting fences, gutters, and signs. 

After a quick lunch...

School kits were distributed

 

Children were fed (and entertained) by Jollibee! 

Stories were told

A quick break in the bakery, where we ate ensaymada, pianono and Spanish bread made by the students there (and I noticed that they were also the dancers from earlier!)

The old ICT classroom needed a fresh coat of paint.

Finally, we ended the day with the usual appreciation, ceremony-type things: certificates, speeches, and the like.

Now, of all the things that happened that day, I think what really struck me the most was the dance number. It amazes me that most of the six who got up in front could not even hear the music, and yet they dance better than people who have hearing.

That just hammered home the fact that these kids are just as capable as anyone else, and they just need someone to open doors for them, because right now they are forcing themselves through what's available. The faculty shared that even students of lesser talent or preference for their chosen course (i.e. food & bev, pastries, animation) stick with what they have because it appears to be their only choice. 

It’s so easy for me to imagine working with someone deaf here in Globe, because of how digitally enabled we are with tablets, phones, and devices of all sorts everywhere. 

I can’t help but think of what these kids could achieve if they were given the same starting line that most of us have been given. And it's good to know that by doing a #GlobeOfGood even with our little efforts, we are helping them to actually get this fair chance.

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About our ICONtributors

Marissa Cahigan works under is a Product Manager for Core Voice and IB Roaming under the Enterprise Product Management team. She loves to eat, cook with friends, and explore new restaurants. She is also a good singer and a dedicated, single mom.

Adi Tanchoco is a jack-of-all-trades and master of some.

When not at work, you can find him trying to make time learn new things like salsa (the dance), and a certain kind of hip hop. He still likes to eat, sing and play football and frisbee.

Find him at the 25th floor of TGT, or via IG @Tanchocolicious.
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