A Deaf Summer Camp will be held for the first time at the Municipality of Castillejos in Zambales in collaboration with DLS-CSB School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies [SDEAS] starting Thursday, April 24. The five-day Deaf camp is a follow-up activity of the whole day Orientation on Deaf seminar held last January 22, 2014 in Castillejos.
Giselle Montero, SDEAS Center for Partnership and Development Director led the group. Mackie Calbay, Youth Section President of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and Leah Osido, also from the same office conducted the seminar using Filipino Sign Language [FSL].
Giselle served as their interpreter while Leah and I documented the event. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with focus on Deaf rights were discussed. The participants during the morning session consisted of hearing individuals who were mostly the staff of the different departments in the municipality, PWDs of Castillejos, and family members of Deaf persons. They all enjoyed learning some basic Deaf signs. In the afternoon, only the Deaf and their families together with the members of the PWD group were asked to attend as further discussion on Deaf rights were taken up. Questions and answers followed.

The Deaf seminar last January was held on the third floor of Castillejos Municipal Building in Zambales [Photo above]

The Organizers from SDEAS and the Municipality of Castillejos including some Deaf children and their family. Mayor Jose Angelo Dominguez is seated in front. Giselle Montero and Eleanor Dominguez [standing 1st and 6th from left respectively]
Mayor Jose Angelo Dominguez [a cousin of Alyana – subject of my autism docu] will welcome the participants with his message. Expected audience consist not only of Deaf children and their families but also of barangay health workers, barangay kagawad on health, teachers — both day care and sped teachers, and all interested parties from the community.