MANDALUYONG HONORS ITS DEAF MUTE ACHIEVERS

Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos poses with deaf mute employees and residents of the city after the awarding ceremonies held during the city’s celebration of the National Deaf Awareness Week. The award is in recognition of their exemplary performance in their respective professions, for their contributions in empowering fellow Persons with Disabilities and championing for their own rights. There are about1,300PWDs registered with the city’s Persons with Disability Affairs Division. Also in photo is PDAD Head Wennah Marquez.

Mandaluyong eyes building college for deaf mute high school grads of city

MANDALUYONG Mayor Benhur Abalos has given out and order to city education officials to conduct a census the number of deaf mutes graduating from high school in the city.

This comes after the mayor conducted his own research into opportunities of deaf mute students to get into college resulted in findings that there are only four registered schools for deaf mutes in the area of the National Capital Region (NCR).

“These schools are far from Mandaluyong and require the parents to shell out a lot of money because they are schools for the rich. This means that deaf mute high school graduates coming from poor families would not be able to afford them. So I am asking our education officials in the city to conduct the census and submit this to us so we can establish a college to help these kids get more opportunities in life,” Abalos pointed out during City Hall’s regular Monday morning program observing Deaf Awareness week in  the city .

The mayor also cited that the minimum college units requirement for one to take and pass the Civil Service exams is 72 units.

“So what opportunities are available to a deaf mute high school graduate?” Abalos asked.

The mayor during the same event also recognized the achievements of the city’s deaf mute employees and residents.

Aside from these, Abalos also ordered education officials to teach sign language to front desk personnel of city hall and it policemen to ensure that they would be able to attend to deaf mutes in need in case a need arise.