Edmond Marqueses, News, College of Communication
The University and the Parent Advocates for Visually Impaired Children, Inc. (PAVIC) formalized a partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on June 3, 2026, at the University’s Sta. Mesa Campus, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing inclusive education and community development for blind and low-vision children.
Signing on behalf of the University were the Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development (OVPRED), Dr. Anna Ruby P. Gapasin; the Director of the Extension Management Office (EMO), Dr. Rolan J. Malvar; and the Dean of the PUP College of Human Kinetics (CHK), Dr. Geraldine C. Miñas. PAVIC, in turn, was represented by its Chairman, PMGEN Eleseo D. Dela Paz; its Area Supervisor for North Luzon and Auditor of the PAVIC Board, Arlene Aisha T. Tumbaga; and its President, Mr. Roden M. Torres.
The collaboration will be carried out through the University's flagship extension program, Salin-Kaalaman, Tungo sa Kaunlaran (SKTK), which promotes the transfer of knowledge and expertise to communities. Under the agreement, faculty members and personnel will design and implement extension initiatives that respond directly to the needs of visually impaired children and their families, ensuring that programs are inclusive, community-centered, and responsive to the realities of the beneficiaries.
Founded in 1999, PAVIC began as a small support group of parents in Manila raising blind and low-vision children with guidance from the U.S.-based Perkins International. Over the past 25 years, the organization has expanded into a nationwide network of more than 700 families. It has continuously championed inclusive education through advocacy efforts and programs such as annual sports activities that encourage children with visual impairments to participate in physical education and active recreation.
The partnership is carried out under the CHK Department of Sports Science, under the leadership of its Chairperson, Dr. Heildenberg C. Dimarucot, whose faculty will design and deliver the adaptive movement and fitness programs at the heart of the agreement. That understanding runs deep at CHK, whose mission has always stretched beyond training athletes and physical education teachers. Movement, the college holds, belongs to everyone — including children who cannot see the ball, the mat, or the dance steps, but can still feel the rhythm and the reach.
With the agreement now in effect, the University and PAVIC will work together to implement extension programs, capacity-building initiatives, and collaborative research that advance inclusive physical education and strengthen support systems for visually impaired children and their families. The partnership reflects the University's continuing commitment to advancing quality education, promoting health and well-being, reducing inequalities, and fostering meaningful partnerships for sustainable development in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 4, 10, and 17. It also embodies the University's core values of Integrity and Accountability, Sense of Service, Passion for Learning and Innovation, Inclusivity, and Respect for Human Rights and the Environment, demonstrating its dedication to creating equitable opportunities and empowering communities through education and service.
Article edited by Gicel Roger B. Savilla, Communication Management Office.
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