A total of 21 graduating students of Bohol Deaf Academy (BDA) are expected to undergo training on cacao processing as part of the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) technical assistance to empower the hearing impaired community in Bohol.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said the DOST-Region 7 partnered with International Deaf Education Association (IDEA) Philippines to train individuals on cacao processing, particularly in tablea and chocolate making, under a project aimed at upgrading skills to support cacao based economic enterprise and development.
"This school year’s batch of 21 graduating students at BDA shall be trained in cacao processing. The training activities shall be incorporated in their curriculum for the whole semester as part of their technical vocational electives,” he said in a report.
"Tech-Voc teachers at BDA shall be trained too. They will be the one responsible for cascading the know-how to the next batch of students to learn the technologies,” he added.
He said the BDA will layout the processing facility while DOST will provide the training and equipment.
"To develop an enterprise to anchor their livelihood activities, IDEA Philippines will create a manufacturing village for cacao near the Chocolate Hills Complex in Carmen, Bohol. The manufacturing village will showcase the whole processes involved in the making of chocolates from the farming stage, post-harvest, and up to creating different chocolate products,” the DOST chief said.
He expressed hope that the proximity of the chosen area where to put the cacao manufacturing village will pave the way in creating a new sector possible as an eco-tourism site.
"The long-term outcome of this project is to empower the hearing impaired community in Bohol through skills in chocolate making. Upgrading their skills in the production of different cacao products is an opportunity for them to augment the needed workforce in the manufacturing village and to the cacao processors in the province as well,” he said.
"The project aims to empower persons with hearing disabilities presently enrolled at Bohol Deaf Academy to become self-sustaining through S&T intervention focusing on livelihood development on cacao based processing technologies.”
A non-profit foundation, the IDEA Philippines has been working to educate impoverished and neglected deaf communities in the country.
It operates various businesses which employ adult deaf men and women in Bohol and offer vocational training for deaf young people.
In 2005, the IDEA Philippines established BDA. The deaf academy has so far produced 207 graduates.