At first glance, Raymond Ilagan, 21, and Bernie Villavelez, 35, are no different from the rest of the crew in Jollibee-Libis. But even if they wear the same uniform, perform the same tasks, and even beam the same smiles, Raymond and Bernie will always stand out in the crew.

Raymond and Bernie are only two of the 18 Deaf Crew of Jollibee, who are identified by a simple nameplate on their right chest saying? Deaf Crew? As of now, Jollibee has nine branches, which have two Deaf crews each. These branches include Anonas-Kamias, Coronet, Sienna, Libis, Malinta, Valenzuela, A. Bonifacio, A. Mabini, and Robinsons Place Manila.

According to Jollibee Vice President for Human Resources Robert T. Poblete, employing Deaf crew-members is part of a 10-year program, started in 1997, which aims to give employment opportunities to the willing and qualified members of the deaf community.

?Most of (the deaf crewmembers) are from less privileged families who are also our main customer base. While it is, of course, not possible for us to help all of them, this program enables us to give back something in a meaningful way,? said Poblete.

It all started when Cromwell Umali, a deaf sales clerk in a clothes boutique, told a customer ? who turned out to be Ethel Ramos, Aga Muhlach?s talent manager ? that he wanted to give a toy donation to Jollibee?s ?MaAGA ang Pasko? promotion in 1995.

Knowing that Muhlach was the product endorser of Jollibee and the brains behind the project, Ramos arranged for Umali to give his toy donation personally to Muhlach.

Two years after this brief meeting, Muhlach and Umali accidentally saw each other at a coffee shop in Quezon City. Muhlach, having been so moved by the gesture of the young man back in 1995, asked Umali to help in a bigger project that aims to give livelihood opportunities for poor but deserving deaf individuals.

Muhlach informed Jollibee?s management about the project and earned the nod of the company.

The Special Training, Employment, Advocacy and Management (STEAM) Foundation, Inc., a non-government organization, which aims to help the Deaf, was tapped for the project.

Fortunately, this was not a problem since the boutique where Umali worked is owned by the head of STEAM, Rose Vergara, a social worker and behavioral therapist, who has made it her vocation to improve the lives of the members of the Deaf community. In fact, she and her husband, who also works with STEAM, even prioritize hiring Deaf individuals for their store.

Vergara said that by giving proper training and providing an accurate evaluation of the Deaf applicants, the Deaf become capable of working as efficiently or more efficiently in a hearing workplace.

Likewise, with proper training and instruction, and crash courses in sign language and psychology, the hearing members of a workforce can also learn to work harmoniously with deaf co-workers.

According to Vergara, there are four phases in training and screening Deaf applicants. These are social preparation, social rehabilitation and awareness, family support, and evaluation of psychosocial and academic or intellectual evaluation.

She explained that these phases are necessary before the Deaf can fully and efficiently function in a hearing workplace like Jollibee, aside from fulfilling other employment requirements such as the National Bureau of Investigation clearance, Social Security Systems number, birth certificate, etc.

This is because, according to Vergara, there are Deaf applicants who may have an attitude problem caused by severe depression due to the inability of family members to communicate with them. This inability to communicate with the Deaf makes them feel misunderstood and may make them aloof.

A perfect example of a STEAM success story is Umali himself, who, after working as a sales clerk in Vergara?s boutique, went on to become a national trainer for STEAM while working full time as a member of the President?s staff in Malaca񡮧.

?It?s not a simple employment. This is long-term because we are giving life to members of the Deaf community,? Vergara said.

Initially, there were 500 Deaf Crew Jollibee applicants who were screened by STEAM. The number was trimmed down to 50 and further trimmed down to 18 applicants, who eventually passed and are presently working in the company. However, there were only four deaf individuals, out of the 18, who eventually went on to become Deaf facilitators ? Deaf individuals who train Deaf applicants.

?Before we started the process, we tested the program in (the Jollibee) Espa񡠨branch), which was necessary for research and documentation ? and it worked,? said Vergara.

However, it is not only the Deaf who benefit from the program, but even the company. According to Roger Palentinos, a manager in Jollibee-Libis, their Deaf crewmem-bers, Bernie and Raymond have become ?ambassadors? to Deaf custo-mers, especially to deaf children, who always look for them whenever they visit the store.

?Yung mga bata, hinahanap na sila. They have become our ambassadors,? said Palentinos.
Furthermore, Palentinos added that their Deaf crew is sometimes even more efficient than their hearing crew.

?Hindi mo na sila kailangang sabihan. Bigla mo na lang makikita na pag-alis ng mga customer, nagpupunas na sila ng mesa, nagkukuskos na (You don?t have to tell them what to do. You?ll just see them wiping the tables as soon as the customers are done,)? said Palentinos.

Since the program is only halfway done, Poblete admits that there are still a lot of changes to be made, such as the improvement of their kitchen facilities to make it Deaf-friendly.

?For example, when you cook hamburgers, the alarm of the machine for cooking beef patties would be heard as a signal to flip the patties,? explained Poblete.
In the meantime, Jollibee?s Deaf crewmembers are assigned to the dining area, serving the customers and keeping the area clean.

?They are extremely motivated and their work output is outstanding. They are also well loved by the rest of the crew,? said Nanette Leuterio, branch manager of Jollibee-Libis.

Poblete also said that while it is true that employing Deaf individuals has an additional expense in terms of training and the improvement of facilities, the costs are nothing compared to the positive results of the effort. Poblete said that knowing that the company is able to reach out to less privileged individuals is already profit gained.

?We hoped to contribute to something that can be a source of both financial and social development,? explained Poblete.
?We hope to produce Deaf entrepreneurs and break the bond of silence,? concluded Vergara.

11th Deaf Festival 2005

11th Deaf Festival 2005
Theme: “Building Bonds and Filipino Deaf Pride”

I am being for 11th Deaf Festival 2005 story of committee also, I am being enjoy and happy for groups in committee about discussion how to planning for program activity. I am responsible and harder work for document in our meeting; I have my committee for being cooperative with me. I always notice and reminder for calendar how to process in our meeting on time but still harder explain for 11th Deaf Festival 2005. I feel so tired and make helpless. I don’t want give up in our meeting. I observe my group committee is very hard work. I really is little responsible for my program activity. I always makulit and ask with Chairperson Kim Xavier. Chairperson Kim Xavier will consultation about how process for activity on Monday to Friday, I always have done duty in our schedule for activity. I know it, I always check up schedule and reserve for place my duty and responsible why someone duty for committee registration don’t want lazy for duty and not for 11th Deaf Festival 2005 why I feel hurt and make me so angry. Sometimes I arrive house night. I am not mind so I look hard my committee sometime tumor and not cooperative. I feel tired why someone committee registration and token, food no concern for program activity, meeting in our 11th Deaf Festival 2005, someone is not responsible for duty and meeting. He is very patience only. Sometimes I was not respectful for duty in our meeting. I feel helpless so much because someone committee was not cooperative respectful, impolite and boastful. My committee works harder then my committee cooperative and supporting will finish work then submitted in our document. Why my committee always tumor and miscommunication and me because he was not ready for schedule and not cooperative, conflict in our schedule for activity. I hate someone committee registration already, I have done duty for document in our activity. Because he have need something and help for assistance but My committee help to me and support and cooperative only, hard work continue for activity in our schedule then I will advocacy for school and organization different for community in and out hearing people. My committee have a good news old committee will help and consultation for 11th Deaf Festival 2005 but I think maybe finish for my activity in our 11th Deaf Festival 2005 I hope that us will be a good work and cooperative very patience until they get successful my committee for 11th Deaf Festival 2005 sure, My committee will matter tumor or fighter but committee work continue done for activity in our 11th Deaf Festival 2005 then My committee submitted on time to M’ Nicky will check up and edit for document for activity only. I am tired only. I was mood bad my groups in committee change different attitude then I don’t want good attitude so I want to try best cooperative and attend in our meeting, I have appointment and emergency for 11th Deaf Festival 2005. My duty in our activity and schedule. He feel suffer, patience and obey in our meeting, I always sometime not follow rule in our meeting. I will try best work hard for program activity arrive in our 11th Deaf festival 2005 I am have something wrong and accept for committee and chairperson because he have awareness about my interpersonal and feel analysis in heart and mind so I hope that I have done wrong my fault in our program activity after I go home later night. he is going to church and my best friend will advise to me . I will accept and understand, I want listen to My committee what Chairperson Kim Xavier speak to us, I always try best doing work hard until they get will be a good successful and reach goal for 11th Deaf Festival 2005, I get already reach goal my 11th Deaf Festival 2005 well. Because he already show 11th Deaf Festival in our program activity for Monday to Friday, I still work with my committee for duty in our program activity

I am being hated matter in the problem in our personal. My committee don’t give up on us, they sometime patience cooperative and support for program activity in our school different organization in or out community. We want to show 11th Deaf Festival good opportunities for Deaf Culture and Community own uniqueness and creative, advocacy for in or out community perspective awareness Deaf Can Do It and Deaf Culture and Pride in our 11th Deaf Festival 2005. We have proud of us.

This is my article paper about 11th Deaf Festival 2005 Theme: “Building Bonds and Filipino Deaf Pride”. It is Deaf Community and unique and Deaf Education for Opportunities in our Program Activity. That relating to sight and able to be seen and learn more about the common programming model. It relates to work shows sensitivity and imagination.
The Art of Conversation is about collection of Art that specific to be innovative. It has been acquired by training. It shows the use of computer that promoting in Art.
It helps the technology as new needs. And other the information is about technology. It is a new thing by technology. And all of them are making a difference style Art. Deaf Can Do It.

I am start being to try best my committee reach goal get successful 11th Deaf Festival 2005 variety show last today because they want to try best patience and a good role in our committee my life good work hard and cooperative. I want to show good role and responsible for my committee and chairperson. I hope that me will be a good role and study very harder work I am responsible for my leader and I have sometime matter little problem my life, try best hard reach goal and until I get congratulation so well.

I am happy with committee; I want to be continuing study and hard work. I hope that I always pray for safe my student, good keep up the work and be responsible for my building and house. I really special love you very much my education for opportunities and support for 11th Deaf Festival 2005 thank for your Faculty and SDEAS.

I make a write and Story of 11th Deaf Festival 2005 real, I feel suffer …

Story of My Life

I am waiting for your story of life also, I am being problem past remember my life about my family. I am not happy my family, I have my family for not being cooperative with me. I always clean in our house everyday but still dirty house. I feel so tired and make angry. I don’t want dirty in our house. I observe brother of Jhonatan is very lazy. Jhonatan is not responsible for my house. Jhonatan always out friend with drinking beer. Jhonatan always phone talk a friend in our house. I know it, I always washing machine my clothes and Jhonatan’s clothes why Jhonatan don’t want washing for clothes and not for family why I feel hurt and make me so angry. Sometimes I arrive house night. I saw not food so I look food. I feel hungry why Jhonatan no concern for food breakfast, lunch and dinner, Jhonatan is not cooking meal. Jhonatan is very lazy only. Sometimes Jhonatan was not respectful. I feel hurt so much because he was not respectful, impolite and boastful. My father works security, guard then my father will finish work then arrive in house. Why my father always angry at Jhonatan and me because he was angry and not cooperative help in our house. I hate My father already salary give few money to me because he have need something and fare for school but My father keep money only few money for fare school. My father have a new sweetheart girl but I think maybe not sure, My father will not show sweetheart then My father hide for sweetheart only. I guess only. I was bad my life change attitude then I don’t want good attitude so I want to out any place appointment my barkada in our Gimmick Bar. He doesn’t obey and not follow rule in our family. I will arrive in our house late night because he always out appointment after home late night. Reymond is not going to home and my friend’s house sleep. Jhonatan and me don’t want listen to My father what Father speak to us, I always angry at Jhonatan because his never clean our house. Jhonatan is very lazy and spoil

I am being hated Father and Jhonatan. My father not gives money sometime for fare and boan school. I any no more cleanly in our house. I leave dirty living room and kitchen in our house. I copy Jhonatan, I am lazy also this.

I am start being to try best my life charge today because his want to adjust my life good attitude and gentleman. I want to show good role and responsible for my house and family. I hope that me will be a good family and study very harder work I’m responsible for my house and I have sometime matter little problem my life, try best hard reach goal and until I get graduating so well.


I am happy with family, I want to be continuing study and hard work. I hope that I always pray for safe my family, good keep up the work and be responsible for my family and house. I really special love you very much my family and Grandmother.

I make a write Letter and Story of My life real, I feel crying now…