About 24 deaf and persons with special needs completed a digital literacy training at the Negros Occidental Language and Information and Technology Center in Bacolod City on Friday, July 7.
This is a pioneer training of NOLITC in partnership with the Bacolod Integrated Deaf Association (BIDA) where they trained 19 deaf and five persons with special needs.
NOLITC Administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido said on Monday (July 10) that the digital literacy training is part of the digital inclusion advocacy of the center.
“Beyond the conventional work offered to the deaf like massage, and cooking, among others, NOLITC wanted to introduce nontraditional skills such as technology-driven work and online or virtual jobs”, she said.
She also said that a lot of companies are campaigning for inclusion and want to hire from the PWD sector.
The digital literacy training started on July 3 and ended with a graduation ceremony on July 7.
Lafonsa Latoza, one of the deaf participants, thanked NOLITC for welcoming them in her testimonial, saying that they are hoping to learn more in the future.
She added they want to teach sign language to other people so that they will open their hearts and minds and accept them.
Joan Briones, BIDA Coordinator, said that this is the first time that the deaf were given the priority to be trained.
Briones served as the sign language interpreter during the training.
The digital literacy training was led by Omega Armigos and Katrina Hilado.
As a gesture of BIDA’s giving back to NOLITC, the deaf participants trained some of the staff in sign language.*