Manda Mayor eyes RTU as home of planned college for deaf mutes

MANDALUYONG Mayor Benhur Abalos is eyeing the establishment of College that would benefit deaf mutes in the city in the Rizal Technological University (RTU). Abalos made this disclosure in a recent address before City Hall employees and guests.

According to the mayor, the plan is to provide teaching courses to deaf mute high school graduates to equip them to teach other deaf mutes.

The use of RTU as home of the planned college will fast track the plan compared to starting from the ground up to establish a new school.

This, Abalos stressed, will ensure that this sector will have more options in light of the limited number of colleges who are equipped with handling and providing their education needs.

The mayor noted that only four colleges for deaf mutes are registered in the National Capital Region (NCR).

This, he said, is not enough to cover the education requirements of many deaf mutes residing in every city of the NCR.

“How can this sector improve their lot in life if they are not allowed access to college education? A government employee needs at least 72 college unit to become civil service eligible. So we have to give deaf high school graduates a chance at getting into college without spending an arm and a leg like what is happening now to help ensure their future,” Abalos stressed.

Once in implementation, this will give deaf mutes not just from Mandaluyong but from other neighbouring cities and municipalities covered by the RTU system a shot at the fast growing language industry of the world.

According to an article recently published in Forbes Magazine, the language industry which covers interpretation and translation among others, have grown into a multi-billion dollar industry that provides an average annual salary of tens of thousands of dollars.