PEN-Philippines: Then and Now

Since 2002, DLS-CSB School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) is a proud partner of Post Secondary Education Network-International (PEN-Int'l). The partnership brought forth extensive development opportunities for SDEAS students, faculty and administration. These opportunities were made possible through the PEN-Philippines project housed in SDEAS.

In SY 2008-2009, on the 7th year of PEN-Philippines and 8th year for other global partners, PEN-International held a meeting with its global partners in June 2008 at the Radisson Hotel Rochester, NY and discussed the eventual direction of the partnership towards the culmination of its post-secondary education initiatives across the globe. At the same time, it was also preparing the ground for new initiatives in Deaf Education. [Click here for pictures]

Br. President Victor Franco and Ms. Theresa Christine B. dela Torre, then Dean of SDEAS and Director of PEN-Philippines, had a special meeting with Dr. James DeCaro, Director of PEN-International, and discussed the participation of DLS-CSB in the new initiatives in Deaf Education that are being planned out for succeeding years. In this meeting, Dr. James DeCaro approved the idea presented by the Dean and Br. President to bring in a team of DLS-CSB Administrators for an educational trip to Rochester Institute of Technology-National Technical Institute for the Deaf to explore the possibility of providing Deaf students more access to other academic options provided by other CSB Academic Schools. Ms. Dela Torre mentioned that SDEAS initiatives for many developments and policies for the benefit of the Deaf were positively supported by the different Schools. This was an indication that the Academic Schools had Deans and Chairpersons/Directors who were ready to collaboratively work with SDEAS to provide greater access for the Deaf.

This direction led to the creation of the Adhoc-Committee on Education Access for the Deaf or Project AhEAD. This was presented by Ms. Dela Torre and was approved for immediate implementation by the Academic Council 2nd Term of SY 2008-2009.

In March 2009, a select number of administrators from SDEAS, SDA, SHRIM, SMIT and Student Life had an educational trip to RIT-NTID. They participated in a series of meetings with different leaders and experts of RIT-NTID. Mr. Robert Tang, Vice Chancellor for Academics headed the team. The other members were the following:

SDEAS : Ms. Theresa Christine B. dela Torre Director, CEAD (then Dean of SDEAS), Ms. Maria Veronica Templo-Perez SDEAS Dean and Director of SDEAS-Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation or C-DEAF (then Head, O-DEAF) and Mr. John Xandre Baliza, Chairperson for SDEAS Center for Academics (then Head, O-AP)

SHRIM: Ms. Lettie Delarmente, Dean of SHRIM, Mr. Geronio Ulayao, Chair of ---

SDA: Architect Gerardo Torres, Dean of SDA and Ms. Vanny Puente, Chair of MMA

SMIT: Mr. Benhur Ong, Dean of SMIT

OSA: Ms. Soc Bacay, Dean




Prior to the trip, continued discussions were done between Ms. Dela Torre and Dr. DeCaro on the necessary transitions to take place and proposed plan of actions for the new initiatives. These were presented to Br. President Victor Franco and VCA Bob Tang. To ensure the success of the transition work for post-secondary education and the preparation needed for the new initiatives, it was approved that PEN-Philippines as a project was to be created as a Center, under the Vice-Chancellor for Academics, designed to respond to the above needs. It was also agreed that Ms. Dela Torre assumes the leadership for this new Center.

In June 2009, Br. President Victor Franco, VCA Bob Tang and Ms. Dela Torre met up with Dr. Jim DeCaro to discuss further the plans for the new initiatives in Deaf Education. Ms. Nora Shannon, PEN Project Associate, also joined the group to discuss specific details of the new project. It was agreed that Ms. Shannon and Ms. Dela Torre will work closely together to develop the strategic plans for the new project.