Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf

“I wanted to prove to myself that being Deaf is not a hindrance to getting a professional teaching license.”

Read more: https://cead.benilde.edu.ph/cead-mlitedce-scholar-joana-leoveras-passes-2026-let-for-elementary-education/

Dx. Raphael “Rafa” Domingo leads Benilde-CEAD’s FSL linguistics corpus planning initiatives, supporting language in education efforts to advance Deaf academic success, made possible through the Model Learning Institute on Deaf-Centered Education.

Alum Dx. Rafa’s research bolsters change in the Philippines | Linguistics | Gallaudet University Raphael Domingo, PhD ’22 is accustomed to being a leader as a co-founder of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and its youngest president at just 21

Congratulations to SDEAS and the Benildean Deaf Association for successfully hosting and launching the Filipino Sign Language Literature Festival! 🤟🏻

Check out the CEAD FSL Literature collection and explore stories that reflect the lives, culture, and experiences of Deaf Filipinos.

Visit from April 6–8 at Greenway Square, ARG Theater, and the Benilde Auditorium, Taft Campus.

This collection is part of CEAD’s Model Learning Institute on Deaf-Centered Education (MLITEDCE) initiative to expand original FSL literature inspired by De’VIA themes, affirming Deaf cultural identity through the works of Deaf Filipino creative storytellers.

FSL literature centered on Deaf experiences, especially when integrated into Deaf children’s education, is one of four critical components in strengthening Deaf learners’ self-esteem and advancing their academic success.

READ: https://cead.benilde.edu.ph/cead-deaf-stories-featured-at-filipino-sign-language-literature-festival/

Why do Deaf teachers matter today?

FSL is now legally recognized in the Philippines, but many Deaf learners still face language deprivation. As we push for Deaf-centered and rights-based education, strong language models in schools are essential.

Deaf teachers, as natural FSL users, provide authentic language, model complex communication, and affirm Deaf identity.

They are not just educators. They are key to language access and meaningful learning for Filipino Deaf learners.

Advancing Deaf-centered education for Deaf Junior High School learners 🤟🏻

The Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf (Benilde-CEAD) joined Pedro E. Diaz High School for a 𝘬𝘶𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯 session, supporting the school’s promotion and awareness efforts as it prepares to commence the Deaf-Centered High School of Muntinlupa City.

Through our partnership with DepEd SDO-Muntinlupa, CEAD continues to support the implementation of the MLITEDCE-LEAD Program, helping ensure that initiatives align with shared mandates and values. As part of this collaboration, the center is assisting Pedro E. Diaz High School in preparing to become a model for Deaf-centered bilingual education.

READ: https://cead.benilde.edu.ph/expanding-deaf-centered-education-opportunities-for-junior-high-school-learners-in-muntinlupa/

“Linguistic accessibility is central to Deaf-inclusive education.”

Dx. Raphael “Rafa” Domingo, Head of Deaf Heritage and Filipino Sign Language Studies at Benilde-CEAD, served as a Plenary Lecturer at the International Sanrokan Festival on the Diversity of Cultural Expression through Inclusive Governance and Education, held on March 13, 2026 at Romblon State University.

In her presentation, Dx. Rafa discussed what meaningful inclusion means for Filipino Deaf learners and persons with disabilities. She emphasized that inclusive education must align policy, practice, and educational systems to ensure equitable participation. This includes ensuring linguistic accessibility, qualified personnel, institutional accountability, and system-level reform.

As part of this effort, Benilde-CEAD actively works to create and maintain an ecosystem that facilitates the implementation of a Deaf-centered FSL-based bilingual education through the Model Learning Institute on Deaf Centered Education (MLITEDCE).

The festival commemorates International Mother Language Day 2026 and the 5th year of the International Decade on Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), bringing together educators, policymakers, researchers, and cultural advocates from across the Philippines and ASEAN.

FEATURED: Ms. Theresa Christine Dela Torre, Director of Benilde-CEAD, joined researchers across Asia at the 10th ARWA Conference 2026 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She presented her research, “Understanding Deaf Literacy through a Theoretical Review of the Simple View of Reading (SVR) in Reading Intervention.”

Also featured was research by Ms. Rowella T. Par (SDEAS Faculty), with co-authors Ms. Marian Patricia Bea Francisco (Dean, SDEAS) and Jackson G. Orlanda, on “Teacher Agency and the Struggle for Linguistic Inclusion: A Case Study Comparison of the Experiences of a Deaf Teacher and a Pangasinan Teacher in Using Marginalized Languages in Multilingual Classrooms in the Philippines.”

Two Benilde-CEAD scholars, Deaf educators Arianne Bulaong and Grace Anne Pico-Alferez, officially took their oath as new Professional Teachers after successfully passing the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LET) on their first attempt.

Read more: https://cead.benilde.edu.ph/benilde-deaf-educators-arianne-bulaong-and-grace-anne-pico-alferez-take-oath-as-professional-teachers/

Benilde–CEAD has launched Handwoven Expressions: Threads of Creative Signing, an FSL storytelling workshop empowering Deaf Benildean Associates to create original FSL literary works for Filipino Deaf children.

Read more: https://cead.benilde.edu.ph/benilde-cead-launches-kwentong-habing-kamay-fsl-storytelling-workshop/