Ronnel del Rio

Ronnel del Rio is a broadcast journalist. He is also

blind.

A radio journalist for almost a decade now, Ronnel first

became known in 1996 because of his radio program,
“Good Morning Southern Luzon.” A voice of reason and
awareness, he discussed national issues as well as
issues that the community of PWDs in the Philippines
faced. Striving to be a voice for the unheard PWDs in
the Philippines, Ronnel pushed for accessible services
not only in his area but in the rest of the country.

His resume is equally impressive. Ronnel is the

president of the Philippine Chamber of Massage
Industry for Visually Impaired, is part of the Philippine
Coalition on the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a board member of
the Philippine Mental Health Association, president of
the Federation of Disabled Persons in Lipa, and is the
chief executive officer of Punlaka — a PWD advocacy
group based in Region IV.
A man with much vision for everyone, not just his fellow
PWDs, he also works as a Housing and Homesite
Regulatory Affairs Officer for the government of
Batangas. There, he pushed for the Viable Socialized
Resettlement Program wherein idle land is taken under
consideration to become housing projects for the
underprivileged in Batangas.
Del Rio is also the first blind person to earn a Master’s
degree in the Philippines, having studied Management
Technology in De La Salle University in 2003. 

Ana Kristina Arce

Search for Ana Kristina Arce on YouTube and you’ll
find video upon video of commencement speeches.
Without a sound, she is able to communicate passion
and hope in her speeches.

Deaf since she was born, Ana’s hearing disability didn’t

stop her from unstoppable yearning to learn. She was
awarded class valedictorian at the Philippine School for
the Deaf and her success in the academe went on from
there.

In 2009, she graduated magna cum laude from the De

La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (CSB) with a
degree in Applied Deaf studies. Her focus was on the
multimedia arts and she went on to become a graphic
artist at her alma mater, CSB.

Blazing the trail, she continued on to study abroad to

pursue a Master’s Degree. She earned her MA in Deaf
Studies from the Gallaudet University, Washington
D.C., one of the world’s most prominent universities in
the field of deaf studies. She is the first Filipino to be
sent to Gallaudet University with a World Deaf
Leadership Scholarship.
Why all the studying? Ana says she wants to give back.
On the New Internationalist Blog she said:
“I hope to not only help them (the deaf) go through
college, but also make them good researchers, and
active advocates in their respective communities. In my
advocacy, I’m looking at opportunities to bring the
needs of the Deaf into the consciousness of society,
especially the hearing people. I aim to help integrate
the Deaf and the hearing together in unity, bridge the
communication gap, increase awareness of the Deaf
culture, and raise the respect for the natural sign
language of the Filipino Deaf – the Filipino Sign
Language.”

Gilda Quintua-Nakahara
To run her business and talk to people, Gilda uses her
hands — either through pen and paper or Filipino Sign
Language. The definition of a successful Deaf
Entrepreneur, she runs a travel and tour business
called Nakahara Lodging and Travel Agency. Catering
to those like her, it’s primarily a travel service for deaf
people around the world, though they also provide
services for hearing people.
Drawing inspiration from foreign deaf friends, she and
her fellow deaf Pinoys met in tourist spots, and she
decided to set up her own business starting in 2004. A
travel agency like any other, she’s known for her
reliable arrangements and service which she describes
has “age-old” Filipino hospitality.

Pushing through discrimination and barriers, she

managed to learn the ins and outs of booking flights,
accommodations, and tour management.

In 2007, she was recognized at the Go Negosyo

Caravan for People with Disabilities in De Salle –
College of St. Benilde. But, as she said in her interview
with Manila Bulletin, representing the fellow deaf is its
own reward.

“As a deaf person in this kind of business, I am proud

to say that I have crossed the border of so-called
limited access. I honestly worked hard to achieve my
goals. I wanted to show the world that we are not cut
off from mainstream society and we are capable of
regularly doing and keeping our jobs like the rest of
hearing and speaking people.”

Aside from all of this, Gilda has helped establish a deaf

organization in her province of Eastern Samar.
It’s not huge acts that make someone inspirational. It’s
the daily effort to better yourself in whatever situation
you find yourself in. These three Filipinos are an
inspiration not just to PWDs, but to the rest of us as
well.