The Turkish government, through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), on Tuesday turned over a modern speech therapy room equipped with advanced auditory training devices and audiovisual tools to the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD).
The ceremony, held at PSD in Pasay City on Oct. 14, was led by Turkish Ambassador Niyazi Evren Akyol, visiting TİKA Vice President Ümit Naci Yorulmaz and TİKA Philippines Country Director Ibrahim Katirci.
“Our aim is not only to improve learning but also to build confidence, independence, and greater participation in the society,” Yorulmaz said in his remarks.
“For us, this is more than just a project — it is an investment in human potential and in the future of young people who deserve every chance to succeed.”
The newly established speech therapy room, the first of its kind in the Philippines, will help enhance speech development and communication skills among students with partial hearing abilities.
TİKA said the project is fully aligned with the Department of Education’s efforts to expand access to inclusive education through modern learning facilities.
“The turnover of the speech therapy room is a milestone for us. It’s not just a new facility, it’s a new opportunity for our students to grow, to communicate and gain confidence,” PSD Assistant Principal Dr. Jordan Madronio said.
“This space will help our learners develop their voices and express their thoughts in ways that would change their lives for the better.”
Akyol said TIKA has so far delivered USD3 million in various development projects across the Philippines, with more “lined up” in the future.
“TİKA works towards building bridges between our country and all our friends around the world, and the philosophy (behind it) is human-centric. It’s not only about building infrastructure but more about building bridges to the heart,” he said.
“We are proud of their activity here. This project today is an example of how we are trying to reach out to the hearts of the people, to leave a small trace and to build bridges of friendship through this humble contribution,” he added.
On the sidelines of the room unveiling, TİKA also presented its donated barista equipment for PSD’s Vocational Barista Training Program.
At present, TIKA is working to help train and connect PSD students with its partner firms to better equip them with technical and livelihood skills.
In an interview, Madronio disclosed that TİKA and PSD are also envisioning to put up a cafe that graduates and parents could help run in the future.
“Gusto nilang maging sustainable ‘yong pagdo-donate nila na (They want this donation to be sustainable that) in the future, the students can make money out of their skills and that’s what we want them to have,” he told the Philippine News Agency.
“We’re planning to open up like a coffee shop in the school, wherein parents and other stakeholders can buy— that is our shared vision with TİKA.”
PSD, established in 1907, is the country’s only government-run institution dedicated to the education of hearing-impaired students. (PNA)
