Kim Oliver S. De Silva | BA Philippine Studies

Posted on January 26, 2024

A group of students and faculty from the UP Department of Linguistics together with members of the Hiraya Collective for the Blind gather in San Juan beach at sunset. They are lined up in a casual formation, smiling and holding a banner that reads LINGG 197 THX. The sky is painted in soft hues of orange and blue. The mood is celebratory and relaxed.
Students of Lingg 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) with the Hiraya Collective for the Blind at their Special Face-to-Face Academic Field Activity in San Juan, La Union.

Every Iskolar ng Bayan has a story to tell.

As I approach the end of my undergraduate studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman, the statement above which I told myself almost five years ago resonates within me. The journey to discover my ‘story’ unfolded during our Linguistics 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) class as we immersed ourselves with the blind community held last December 16-18, 2023, in San Juan, La Union, in collaboration with Hiraya Collective for the Blind.

This was no ordinary field trip; it was a purposeful endeavor aimed at understanding how individuals in the blind community navigate life even in the absence of complete vision. Initially, the idea of joining this off-campus activity intrigued me, orchestrated by our instructor who presented compelling aspects: blind individuals “watching” movies, playing sports, and engaging in recreational activities. Despite these enticing points, I hesitated, questioning if it was merely another trivial extracurricular activity not worth my time and money. I was mistaken.

The two-day immersion became the highlight of my senior year, fostering camaraderie among classmates turned friends. Together, we delved into Hiraya Collective’s projects, discovering it as one of the country’s leading organizations focusing on accessible learning for the blind and visually impaired. A pivotal moment occurred at Lorma Colleges, where face-to-face training taught me what it is like to walk with someone in the blind spectrum. We were given instructions on how to guide them when walking inside a building and in a recreational space. It shattered misconceptions, revealing that blind and visually impaired individuals are not helpless; they are as capable as anyone, even in the absence of complete sight.

A candid moment captured inside a well-lit room with a group of individuals from the UP Department of Linguistics and Hiraya Collective. They are seated on the tiled floor, forming a semi-circle. Sunlight filters through the windows, creating a pattern on the floor and contributing to the room's serene ambiance.
Students of Lingg 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) with the Hiraya Collective for the Blind gather at Balai Mayari for a disability sensitivity and awareness experiential workshop. Balai Mayari is a multisensory, creative learning space for workshops and creative residencies for the blind and sighted.

Listening to individual stories during mealtime and workshops unveiled narratives of hope, determination, and the will to overcome boundaries. The class, fueled by genuine curiosity rather than compliance, embraced the culture of Hiraya Collective — a community that transcends mere advocacy to become a supportive and inclusive family. I learned how to actively listen and make use of my senses aside from sight, making me realize how much more there is to improve about myself. The activities we had opened my eyes to the perspectives of the visually impaired community who all long to be treated equally.

My experience in the field activity prompted me to scrutinize a lot of what has been happening in our society lately. As a student of BA Philippine Studies, we are always challenged to analyze the present-day issues our country is facing. I realized that Hiraya Collective advocates not only for the blind community but for holistic change encompassing every citizen’s basic needs and rights. Beyond the blind community’s immediate circle, the organization addresses the essential requirements of all Filipinos, regardless of socio-economic status, skin color, gender, or disability.

In UP, we are always taught to be of service to the nation; that we are in debt to the Filipino people who constantly put up a tireless effort to make our quality education possible. Our immersion with Hiraya Collective expanded my perspectives to the many calls of our people that are still left unanswered–and one of these is pushing for an inclusive society which necessitates the inclusion of all and not some. It made me realize that you can’t just push for the rights of one; it has to be holistic and caters to the needs of every person.

Dr. Eva Marie Wang stands in the foreground, gesturing passionately to a group of students seated in a semi-circle on a covered outdoor patio at Lorma Colleges. The setting is a tranquil view of the campus environment framed by abundant greenery.
Dr. Eva Marie Wang, Convener of Hiraya Collective for the Blind, orients the students of Lingg 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) at Lorma Colleges.

The task of being an Iskolar ng Bayan could mean going outside the confines of the classroom and not just relying heavily on theoretical foundations taught in class. Sometimes, we are overwhelmed by how much of a quality education we receive that we tend to forget why we are in UP in the first place. Field activities like what we had helps us realign our purpose and our place inside and outside of the university. I am beyond grateful for being part of this off-campus activity with Hiraya Collective because I was able to see how the lessons we learn in class materialize not just in the papers we write but also in the lives of the people.

In the foreground, a member of Hiraya Collective for the Blind speaks with a peer. Other people are visible in the background forming small groups and engaging with one another. Some are in motion, some are holding a white cane in a corridor area at Lorma Colleges.
Students from Lingg 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) participate in disability sensitivity training at Lorma Colleges with the Hiraya Collective for the Blind, assisting visually impaired members in navigating physical environments.

My UP journey does not simply end by finishing an undergraduate degree. Graduating from the University marks the commencement of a broader commitment. There is still a lot to do out there. But for now, I can simply say that as an Iskolar ng Bayan, I have found my own story to tell through our off-campus activity in La Union: that I was honed by the University to be of service to the Filipino people no matter their status and background. With all of these, I will be ready to answer the call.

Members of the Hiraya Collective for the Blind and Lingg 197 students from the UP Department of Linguistics gather for a group photo in the gymnasium of Lorma Colleges. They are accompanied by Sir Reggie Buccat who provided a tour of the campus. The image captures a cheerful and diverse assembly, some holding white canes, all facing the camera with a backdrop of a stage with green curtains and a Philippine flag, under a string of colorful paper lanterns.
From December 16th to 18th, students from Lingg 197 (Special Topics in Linguistics: Audiovisual Translation) course participated in an immersive workshop held in San Juan, La Union, the home base of the Hiraya Collective for the Blind. This two-day learning workshop focused on disability sensitivity and awareness training and fostering a deeper connection with the members of the visually impaired community. The workshop also served as a platform for ideating future research and project collaborations, aiming to integrate our AV translation skills with the collective’s initiatives to create more inclusive media content.

Kim Oliver S. De Silva, a native of Bulacan, completed his Associate of Arts in Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino (AAMPF) at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2021. After his AA degree, he is set to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Studies with a concentration in Malikhaing Pagsulat and Linguistics this 2024. His research interests revolve around the following topics: writing stylistics, special issues related to spelling standardization, and sociolinguistics.