Rizal Technological University (RTU) took another step towards inclusivity and equity as the Gender Studies and Development Office (GSDO), headed by Dir. Shereen Yanna B. Cadileña partnered with the Link Center for the Deaf, Inc. (LCDI) to host a landmark inclusive education program titled ABKD-GAD SIGN (Advancing Basic Knowledge on Deaf Inclusion through Gender and Development): “Beyond Compliance, Toward Inclusive Excellence.”

The event became the first Filipino Sign Language (FSL) training session of 2026 and featured a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between RTU and LCDI. The partnership was made possible with support from the Inclusive Education Office, headed by Instr. Divine Pagal, the Office of the President, led by Dr. Ma. Eugenia M. Yangco, and the Office of the Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension Services, led by Dr. Magno M. Quendangan, and the LCDI, as represented by Executive Director Carolyn Ui and Managing Director Marical Ui.

During the session, teachers from LCDI introduced RTU faculty members and administrative employees to the foundations of FSL, including the FSL alphabet, numbers, and calendar months. To ensure continued learning, the teachers urged participants to practice their new skills daily in pairs or groups, helping FSL become a natural part of campus communication.

Attendees included administrative personnel, faculty members from different colleges, academic leaders, office heads, directors, deans, and university officials, demonstrating that fostering an inclusive and accessible campus is a shared responsibility across all levels of the institution. Their participation reflected RTU’s whole-of-university approach to advancing disability inclusion and creating a learning environment where everyone has a role in promoting equity.

Following the face-to-face training, RTU and LCDI officially signed their MOU. This historic moment established a solid foundation for future endeavors, strengthening the shared commitment of both institutions to promote a genuinely deaf-inclusive environment.

This event underscores that inclusivity is a transformative reform that expands educational reach and, ultimately, improves quality of life. Through participation and long-term collaboration of the RTU community, the GSDO mantra is more alive than ever: Pantay, Malaya, at Ingklusibo.

With the belief RTU stands for, the university continues to create opportunities for inclusive learning until the goals of inclusivity are fully realized across the institution. Together, slowly but surely, RTU is making its way toward full inclusivity—not just for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but for deaf people in the first place.