Siena College of Taytay Champions Learning for All with PLDT, Smart Disability Sensitivity Training

Siena College of Taytay (SCT) in Rizal province is making the school more inclusive for all students, especially those with disabilities. With SCT being a valued partner in the PLDT Group’s education initiatives, PLDT and Smart, together with ATRIEV (Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired), hosted a disability sensitivity workshop for its teachers and support personnel.

 

“Inclusivity is part of our agenda,” said Sr. Rosalea Busilac, O.P., president of SCT. “The training is especially helpful for our teachers because it gives them the opportunity to really deepen their understanding of learners with disabilities.” She added that the college also sees the session as an opportunity to identify further improvements to its facilities to better serve students with disabilities.

 

The training is part of a broader push by PLDT and Smart to expand access to education for underrepresented groups.

 

“We believe that no learner should be left behind,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “Our #KonektedforInclusion program aims to create opportunities for underrepresented sectors of society, such as persons with disabilities, through capacity building and digital skills training. These initiatives empower target beneficiaries to gain access to inclusive quality education or sustainable livelihood.”

 

Facilitators from ATRIEV, who are persons with disabilities themselves, led the discussion on understanding different types of disabilities and the reasonable support or accommodation needed for an inclusive classroom.

 

“The seminar made us realize that we have to be more understanding and considerate of everyone’s situation,” said Ann Dolores, secretary to the College Dean of the Service Education Department. “Instead of expecting students with disabilities to adjust to us, we also need to learn how to adjust and provide the support they need.”

 

The workshop also addressed unconscious bias, misconceptions, and language that can unintentionally discriminate against or offend a person with disability. Teachers took part in role-playing activities to simulate and demonstrate how best to assist persons with disabilities and understand challenges from their perspective.

 

“Walking in their shoes, the workshop taught us how to help students with different disabilities,” said Marilu L. Sablayan, who works at the Registrar’s Office and serves as the president of the Auxiliary Support Personnel Association. “I also learned how to communicate and relate with neurodivergent learners, what to do when they’re under stress.”

 

“Training like this opens our minds to the reality of learners with disabilities,” said Jerome Mauricio of the Office of the Prefect of Student Formation and Activities and a lecturer at the College of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Management. “The experiences shared by people with disabilities show us what is possible and help us rethink how we teach. We are now looking at how we can redesign our curriculum to make our classes more inclusive.”

 

The continued partnership between PLDT, Smart and SCT underscores their shared commitment to advancing inclusive education and expanding opportunities for Filipino learners of all abilities. The school is a longtime member of the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), having renewed its participation in the initiative in 2025.

 

The disability sensitivity workshop under the PLDT Group’s #KonektedforInclusion program highlights its commitment to helping the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

Jollibee Group Foundation Supports Ilocos Sur Farmer Group to Become Agro-Entrepreneurs

MANILA, Philippines. – Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the social responsibility arm of Jollibee Group, continues to capacitate youth scholars, farmers, and local farming communities nationwide through its local implementing partners like the Sacred Heart Savings Cooperative (SHSC) in Galimuyod, Ilocos Sur.

JGF’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) has been enabling several SHSC members and groups through scholarships and training since 2013. 

The Tagudin Agroentrepeneurs Association, Inc. (TAA), was the first farmer group organized by SHSC through the agro-enterprise clustering approach introduced by JGF. SHSC has been assisting TAA in marketing their products, agri-financing and agri technologies, among others.. 

“Dati kasi wala naman kaming kakayahan na magkaroon ng capital dahil nakatutok lang kami sa pagtatanim. Pero dahil sa tulong ng coop at ng JGF ay natulungan kaming makapagumpisa at magkaroon ng magandang variety ng binhi. Naturuan din kami ng iba pang kaalaman tungkol sa pagsasaka at pagnenegosyo,” said TAA’s General Manager, Michael Lorica. (“Before, we didn't have the ability to have capital because we only focused on planting. But with the help of the coop and JGF, we were able to start planting and have access to a good variety of seeds. We were also taught other knowledge about farming and doing business.”)

“Bukod pa dito, siyempre malaking bagay rin sa amin na meron na kaming sure buyer para sa aming mga produkto” he added. (“In addition to this, of course it is also a big deal for us that we now have a sure buyer for our products.”)

FEP centers on developing smallholder farmers’ leadership and technical skills by helping them become direct suppliers of high-quality vegetables to corporate buyers such as the Jollibee Group and ensure their sustainable profitability. 

With a huge pool of farmers under their cooperative, SHSC farmer members have become part of the Jollibee Group’s growing roster of produce suppliers. They started supplying green bell peppers, tomatoes, and hot peppers to the Jollibee Group in 2018. Apart from vegetables, SHSC has expanded its products for the restaurant company by supplying white onions in 2022. The SHSC farmer members have delivered a total of 170 tons of vegetables to the Jollibee Group to date. 

TAA farmers, for their part, have been supplying white onions to the Jollibee Group brands since 2015. They have provided almost 600 tons of their products since their first delivery. 

Farmer collaboration

For Lorica, the years of partnership between SHSC and JGF have helped reshape their mindset as member farmers and now, as entrepreneurs.

“Dahil iba-iba ang covered ng seminar ni JGF marami sa mga nakagawiang pamamaraan namin ang nabago. Kasama na rito ang paggamit ng consolidation area to promote food safety at mga training tulad ng AE Clustering Approach, soil testing, at livelihood recovery program. Tinulungan din nila kami na makakuha ng mga sapat na accreditation gaya ng Good Agricultural Practices,” he said. (“Many of our usual methods have been changed because of the different topics covered by JGF's seminars. This includes using a consolidation area to promote food safety and trainings such as AE Clustering approach, soil testing, and livelihood recovery program. They also helped us get adequate accreditations such as Good Agricultural Practices.”)

“Ngunit para sakin ang isa pang malaking pinapagpasalamat namin sa JGF ay ang pagbibigay nila ng training para sa farming para sa mga kabataan dahil patuloy nang tumatanda ang edad ng mga magsasaka,” Lorica added. (“But for me, another big thing that we’re thankful for about JGF is how they provide farming training for the youth, mainly because the farmers in the country are continuously aging”)

Apart from providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged sectors, JGF, through its Access, Curriculum, and Employability (ACE) Scholarship program, partners with technical-vocational training institutions to provide indigent youth with the opportunity to stay in school by developing their agro-entrepreneurship skills.

The ACE Scholarship Program aligns with the United Nations’ transformative Sustainable Development Goals aimed at bringing peace and prosperity to the world, particularly its Quality Education (SDG4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG8), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG10) pillars.

Commitment to contribute

JGF has long been committed to developing relevant, effective, and sustainable programs. With the support of its partner communities and institutions, JGF continues to leverage its expertise and resources to create valuable interventions that help uplift the lives of many Filipino farmers. 

“We believe that by fostering a sustainable collaboration between the Jollibee Group and FEP partners like SHSC, we help strengthen the future of the country’s agricultural sector. Together with our partners, we will continue to develop FEP into a more inclusive and expansive program that would help address the urgent needs of various farming communities and expose them to new and innovative farming practices,” said JGF President Gisela Tiongson. 

Since 2009, the FEP has capacitated 25 farmer groups of more than 3,000 farmers. To date, these farmers have supplied a combined 10.7 million kilos worth of assorted vegetables to Jollibee Group, which amounts to Php477 million in sales.