Deaf Trainor Jerome Marzan represented MCCID College during the focus group discussion at the UP Institute of Human Rights last December 1 at the UP Law Center focusing on identifying human rights challenges and barriers to access to justice commonly experienced by persons with disabilities.

Atty. Ibarra M. Gutierrez III UP Law School Director invited key Persons with Disabilities sector to a focus group discussion which aimed to survey the current human rights landscape for PWDs. The focus group discussion is among the series of expert dialogues in order to enable the Institute to determine gaps in the current legal and regulatory framework affecting PWDs and to recommend policy reforms.

Sir Jojo was the FGD's official sign language interpreter of Sir Jerome and Mr. Raphy Domingo, deaf leader and one of the participants.

Among the thing Sir Jerome suggested are the recognition of Filipino Sign Language as the official language to be used in deaf education and putting of closed captions on news broadcasts. As a rejoinder, Sir Jerome made the following sentiments in the official MCCID College Facebook Fan Page:

I feel very pity that some deaf people in the Philippines have no work. So I think more deep about why some deaf don’t have work and jobs to other companies and places. It is because some government agencies and other companies are very lack aware, not considering the deaf and discriminating deaf people especially in some provinces. So I want to suggest more to UP Institute of Human Rights Focus Group Discussion about this.

I hope that the government and other companies must open their minds and become more aware about the deaf. They should accept, support and give chance to the deaf. Some deaf people who already have work are now successful and fair with hearing people. I also want the government to accept Filipino Sign Language as the language used by the Filipino Deaf and provide closed captions to all news programs on TV. All of these are our human rights and included in UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.

Ms. Krissy Conti, one of the focus group discussion organizers informed the group of the next round of meetings in the near future to further identify the human rights challenges and suggestions on revision of the Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons or RA 7277.

Sir Jerome was accompanied by another deaf leader Raphy Domingo and Dr. Lisa Martinez of Philippine Deaf Resource Center. Sir Jojo Esposa was the deaf’s official sign language interpreter.

Seated: Sir Jojo, Bethsaida Executive Director Ptr. Benjamin Hugo and Coordinator Loida Alvarez. Standing: First Batch of MCCID College-Bethsaida students.

A total of 51 freshmen students, the biggest number in the school’s 15 year history, attended the Orientation Seminar on the first day of classes. MCCID’s Tiaong, Quezon branch also had their seminar on that day with nine first year students. Together with second and third year deaf students, sign language class and Quezon branch, the overall student population rose to 104.

This is the first time MCCID experienced a surge of students coming from the provinces. Some came from nearby Pampanga, Cavite, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac to as far as Cagayan, Albay, Camarines Sur, Leyte and Bohol. This proves that there is a need for opening up of higher education programs for the deaf in many parts of the Philippines and not just in the National Capital Region. This also established the power of the Internet and the huge impact of this website.

It is also interesting to note that only one student came from Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD). It was later learned that most of PSD graduates lived from the southern part of Metro Manila. So most of them enrolled in colleges for the deaf located in nearby Makati City and southern Manila.

A parent describes her experience having a deaf child.

Last Saturday, June 27, the annual “Meeting with the Parents” were held in the afternoon where parents/guardians of freshmen students were invited. Out of the 51 parents who were expected to attend, more than 30 participated. The activity is basically the same as orientation with students although most of the program focused on the question and answer portion. The parents introduced themselves and explained about the cause of their child’s deafness. MCCID through it’s Training Director, Sir Jojo Esposa explained about the school’s method of training the Deaf and it’s successes and highlights during its more than 15 years of existence.

MCCID College of Technology, in partnership with Bartimaeus Center for Alternative Learning (Bethsaida, Inc.) and Liliane Foundation Philippines will open its first branch in Tiaong, Quezon and will be ready to accept deaf high school graduates starting this school year 2009-2010.

After a series of discussions and viability studies conducted from February to May of this year, the three institutions forged a special agreement to put up a post-secondary school which will offer computer courses similar to the ones being given to Manila campus. MCCID will provide the curriculum, materials and an academic instructor/expert. It also pledged to donate a couple of computer units.

Bethsaida, Inc. Logo

LFP Logo

Bethsaida administrators and faculty were given a tour at MCCID school.

Sir Ervin Reyes and Bethsaida's Deaf Teacher Mamerto Cortez Jr. in front of Bethsaida's main campus.

To know more about the school, you may contact (042)652-1874, cell number 09236349481 or email them at bartimaeus_loida@yahoo.com.

Classes for First Semester under School Year 2008-2009 opened smoothly last June 16. An orientation of rules, procedures, curriculum, calendar of activities and other concerns was held for first year students in the morning while a refresher one was given to the second and third year classes.

Aside from the orientation, the “Peace Agreement” was explained and signed by the students. A total of 83 students are currently enrolled this semester. They are broken down as follows: 28 – First Year, 26 – Second Year and 26 – Third Year and 3 from Sign Language course.

Also, last Saturday, July 5, the annual “Meeting with the Parents” were held in the afternoon where parents/guardians of freshmen were invited. Out of the 28 parents who were expected to attend, 22 participated. The activity is basically the same as orientation with students although most of the program focused on the question and answer portion. Most of the parents were interested to know about MCCID’s program, method of training the Deaf and successes made by the school during its nearly 15 years of existence.