FAMOUS PERSON

WITH DISABILITY
GROUP 2
BANOY, RENALYN
MIRANDA, MARY GRACE
NARIO, JAN KAISER
REYES, JUBAILLE
SAN JUAN, DON HANZ
She is the first visually-impaired
Filipina to become summa cum laude
at the Ateneo de Manila University
(ADMU) in 2001. She was able to
achieve academic excellence despite
her handicap and has inspired people
with her life story of triumph over the
odds.
She was born on January 12, 1980. The only
daughter and the youngest of four children of
Gemme and Deannah Ambubuyog. They are
all raised as Roman Catholics. Roselle lost
her eyesight when she was six years old due
to damage corneas. This resulted from the
adverse effects of Steven Johnson’s
Syndrome, an excessive reaction of the
immune system to chemicals inhaled or orally
introduced to the body, which was triggered
twelve days after she took over-the-counter
medication that were also prescribed by a
qualified doctor when she was suffering a bout
of asthma. SJS, though seldom heard of, is
considered the sixth killer in the United States.
She consistently graduated with highest academic honors:
● Model Montesorri Child (Holy Infant Montessori School, 1986)
● Class Valedictorian (Batino Elementary School, 1993)
● Class Valedictorian (Ramon Magsaysay High School – Manila, 1997)
● Class Valedictorian (Ateneo de Manila University, 2001).

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from ADMU with a Bachelor of

Science degree in Mathematics and a minor in Acturial Science. Being
the first blind student at the ADMU, a Braille translation software program
that converts encoded or scanned text to computer Braille format were
purchased by the Ateneo to make the exam questionnaires, lectures
notes and other classroom materials accessible to Roselle.
While pursuing here master’s degree, she
set up a project called Project Roselle which
donates scanners and readers to school so
that other blind children can study. She
worked as Consultant-Contractor for Human-
Computer Interaction at Freedom Scientific,
Inc. which develops Windows PC solutions
for people with vision impairment and
learning disabilities.
 “WE LOVE THE LIGHT ‘CAUSE IT
SHOWS US THE WAY, BUT WE MUST
ALSO LEARN TO LOVE THE
DARKNESS BECAUSE IT SHOWS US
THE STARS.”
ROSELLE R. AMBUBUYOG