Fri | 12.14.2018 | 4:00 PM

Yuletide merriment continues as PAGCOR visits the Philippine National School for the Blind on the seventh day of the corporation's gift-giving activities. Over 200 visually-impaired students and school personnel were treated to an early Christmas party during the Pamasko event.

Philippine National School for the Blind Glee Club sings the National Anthem to open PAGCOR's Pamaskong Handog Day 7

Christmas came early for students of the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) held the seventh day of their annual gift-giving project at the said institution.

PNSB is a school established to meet the special needs of students who are visually impaired. They accept totally blind children and also those who have different levels of poor vision.

April Matthew C. Abella and Hannah Angelica C. Dumlao were among the students present during PAGCOR's recent Pamaskong Handog 2018. They believe that having a disability is not a hindrance to being an achiever in life. Both of them are excellent pupils who have competed in Braille reading and writing contests for the blind here and abroad.

"Pinatunayan ko sa sarili ko na kahit ganito ako, kahit hindi ako nakakakita, kaya kong makipagsabayan sa mga sighted o sa mga nakakakita," said 19 year-old Matthew who dreams of becoming a teacher. "Importante po ang edukasyon sa akin dahil ito po ang magiging daan ko para matupad ang pangarap ko na makatapos kahit blind ako, kahit wala akong nakikita," he continues.

Despite losing her sight as a baby due to Retinoblastoma, 20 year-old Hannah has not failed to excel in school. Like Matthew, she has many academic awards under her belt. She cites God, her family, and friends as her inspirations in joining contests. Hannah dreams of taking a course in Information Technology because of her interest in computers.

"Para po sakin, yung Pasko ay pagmamahal," said Hannah when asked how she defines Christmas. "Dito po natin naaalala ang pagmamahal sa atin ni Jesus Christ." Indeed, the warmth of the Holiday season was felt that day as the children were all smiles and their hearts content.

PNSB Principal Corazon Salvador attests, "Meron pong magandang story sa amin. Two of our students before were sent by one Foundation to college and now they are our teachers. These are blind teachers who are very effective and efficient in teaching, they're co-blind people kaya sino nga ba yung mas nakakaunawa sa kanila kundi yung mga kapareho din nila. But they are also very skillful, one graduated in Bachelor in Music, siya ngayon ang nagtuturo ng music. The other one graduated in English Education at Philippine Normal University, siya ngayon ang nagtuturo ng reading and language to our children."

Furthermore, the PNSB official said PAGCOR has been a generous benefactor of the PNSB since way back in 1996 when it gave furniture and appliances including a refrigerator and chairs which they still utilize upto now. The school was also one of PAGCOR's Pamaskong Handog beneficiaries in 2011.

For years now, PAGCOR has helped many institutions that care for different sectors of society including elders, abandoned children, persons with disabilities, and cancer patients, not only through Pamaskong Handog but also through other corporate social responsibility programs.

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