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.

CTU Mountain Campus Receives Digital Tools, PlantSmart Kits from PSF

PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, Inc.’s social outreach arm PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), in collaboration with Cebu Diversified Advocacy Cooperative (CEDACO), extended support to Cebu Technological University Cebu City Mountain Campus (CTU CCM) through the donation of digital tools, office supplies, and planting kits as part of PSF’s nationwide back-to-school initiative.

CTU CCM, established to serve the youth in the upland communities of Cebu City, has grown into a trusted learning hub for students across the Visayas and Mindanao. Surrounded by farming communities and eco-tourism sites, the campus offers agriculture-related programs that directly support and strengthen local livelihoods and industries.

"Young people have the capacity to shape the future of agriculture, not only through modern technology, but through fresh ideas and a commitment to serve their communities. We hope these resources encourage students to think beyond the classroom and become changemakers who will help us build a more connected and empowered Philippines,” said Ma. Esther O. Santos, President, PLDT-Smart Foundation.

Aligned with its mission to empower agricultural communities, PSF integrates this advocacy into its education initiatives to inspire the youth to take an active role in advancing the agriculture sector and promoting sustainability.

CTU CCM’s Agriculture Department received a laptop with e-learning materials, a printer, and office supplies to enhance teaching, research, and student learning. These resources are especially impactful for students with limited access to technology.

“Thank you so much to PSF for donating these supplies to us. This is our first time receiving a donation like this. This is very helpful for our instruction, research, and for our students because most of them do not even have a laptop,” said Alma Rosillo-Magno, PhD, Agriculture Department faculty at CTU CCM.

PLDT and Smart also donated #PlantSmart kits containing vegetable seeds, loam soil, and fertilizers, supporting the campus garden while encouraging students to grow their own food and practice sustainable agriculture.

PSF’s back-to-school initiative reinforces the PLDT Group’s efforts to help provide quality education to Filipino children and youth through digital technology. This effort also aligns with PLDT and Smart’s goal to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG No. 4, which promotes quality education.