The Role and Importance of

the Resources for the Blind, Inc. (RBI) Staff:

As the lead implementing partner, RBI houses the dedicated Gabay Team, which consisted of 14 staff members during Year 4, expanding to 15 with the addition of an M&E Officer towards the end of the year in anticipation of the project extension. The team is fundamental to the project's planning, adaptation, execution, and monitoring, working closely with RBI's leadership and external partners. Key RBI staff members mentioned and their roles included:

Dr. Yolanda Quijano

As Chief of Party for the USAID-funded GABAY project (2019-2024), Dr. Yolanda S. Quijano was a driving force in strengthening inclusive education for children with disabilities in the Philippines. Her expert leadership provided strategic direction, guided the team's implementation and adaptation through challenges like the pandemic, and championed critical policy discussions with DepEd and USAID. Dr. Quijano was pivotal in fostering key partnerships at all government levels and overseeing significant achievements, including a substantial increase in student enrollment and the development of vital resources like ILRCs and adapted curricula. Her vision and dedication were fundamental to GABAY's success in advancing the rights and educational opportunities for children with disabilities.

Chief of Party

Ms. Arminia O. Mojica

Ms. Arminia O. Mojica served as the Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID-funded GABAY project throughout its five-year duration. Her role was consistently vital, central to the project's program design, operational management, and capacity-building initiatives across all Intermediate Results. Ms. Mojica was instrumental in the development of key training modules and manuals, including those for PEEC, Disability Sensitivity Awareness, Educating Children with Sensorial Disabilities, and the ILRC Operations Manual, ensuring the project had robust resources. A prominent and active facilitator, she personally led numerous training sessions and workshops for teachers, parents, school heads, and local officials, sharing expertise in specialized teaching strategies, interventions for diverse disabilities (including critical areas like MDVI/Deafblindness), and effective parent engagement. Her contributions were fundamental in adapting project activities through online and hybrid modalities, overseeing field operations alongside the Chief of Party, and ensuring practical, relevant capacity building reached partners on the ground, significantly driving progress towards GABAY's inclusive education goals.

Deputy Chief of Party

Ms. Chesa Romares Po

Chesa Romares contributed to the early implementation of the USAID-funded GABAY project. Serving as "In-Charge" for key activities, her roles included overseeing the training of eye care specialists (Optometrists and Ophthalmologists) to enhance local health service capacity. She also supported workshops focused on adapting quality indicators for school administrators, contributing to efforts to improve educational program quality. Furthermore, Ms. Romares was responsible for the setup and delivery of eye and ear screening tools and resources to partner institutions. Her work was valuable in establishing foundational capacity-building and resource mobilization efforts, supporting GABAY's objectives for inclusive education.

Training Officer

Ms. Joy Magsubar

Field Manager

Joy Magsubar made significant contributions to the USAID-funded GABAY project as a key member of the RBI team and Field Coordinator. Her role was central to the project's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts and field operations across the target sites throughout the project's lifespan. She consistently oversaw data collection activities, including supporting the crucial EGRA baseline and endline planning and managing the use of monitoring tools. Ms. Magsubar also played a direct role in capacity building by facilitating key sessions in teacher trainings, helping educators identify learning needs and enhance instructional strategies. Her dedicated work in coordinating field visits, conducting observations, and gathering feedback through focus groups provided vital information for project adaptation and reporting. Her efforts were essential in ensuring the project's interventions were informed by ground-level realities and effectively monitored for progress towards inclusive education goals.

Ms. Grace Balaguer

Ms. Grace Balaguer served as the Project Finance Manager for the USAID-funded GABAY project consistently from Year 1 through its completion in Year 5. Her role was absolutely critical, providing the essential financial backbone that enabled all project activities. Ms. Balaguer was meticulously responsible for budgeting, tracking expenditures across multiple sites and diverse activities, overseeing all financial reporting to USAID, managing procurement funds, and ensuring the timely and accurate disbursement of resources for trainings, equipment, operations, and personnel. Her expertise in financial management, coupled with her dedication to ensuring compliance with all funding regulations and maintaining accountability, was fundamental to the project's stability, operational efficiency, and ability to deliver impactful interventions over its entire five-year lifespan. Her unwavering oversight ensured that GABAY's resources were effectively utilized to directly benefit children with disabilities and its partner stakeholders.

Finance Manager

Ms. Shev Payo

Communications Officer

Ms. Shev Payo served as the Communications Officer for the USAID-funded GABAY project for the majority of its duration, playing a vital role in amplifying the project's voice and reach. Her responsibilities were central to developing and disseminating advocacy materials (posters, flyers, videos), managing the project's online presence and media engagements (press releases, success stories, social media), and coordinating documentation activities. Ms. Payo ensured that GABAY's messaging on inclusive education and the needs of children with disabilities was effectively communicated to stakeholders, policymakers, and the wider public. Her dedication to showcasing project activities, highlighting achievements, and advocating for the rights of children with disabilities significantly contributed to raising awareness and fostering support for GABAY's mission throughout its implementation.

Mr. Rio Carl Miguel

Mr. Rio Carl Miguel served as a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for the USAID-funded GABAY project, primarily in the early stages. His documented involvement includes participating in Monitoring and Evaluation Reporting Training Sessions in Year 1 and being listed as the individual "In-Charge" for a planned Quarter 1 Year 2 activity focused on the Conceptualization and Involvement of Parents, DPOs, and CSOs in Local Government Policies and Services under Intermediate Result 3. Based solely on the information presented across the five annual reports, his documented contributions appear concentrated in the project's initial phases and do not indicate a sustained role or central contribution throughout the entire project lifespan in the same manner as other staff members whose impacts are detailed across multiple years.

M&E Specialist

Ms. Maui Gabriel

Field Coordinator / Training Officer / Field Manager

Maui or Maricar Gabriel made significant contributions to the USAID-funded GABAY project, initially serving as a Field Coordinator and later transitioning into the role of Training Officer. In Year 5, following the departure of Ms. Joy Magsubar, she further stepped into the crucial role of Field Manager for GABAY. As a Field Coordinator, she were a key link connecting the project team with local partners and beneficiaries on the ground. As Training Officer, she were instrumental in systematizing and coordinating key capacity-building initiatives, particularly specialized training sessions. Assuming the Field Manager role added significant responsibility for overseeing field operations across project sites. Her hands-on experience from both field coordination and training, coupled with the added leadership as Field Manager in the project's final year, were valuable in ensuring the relevance and successful delivery of project interventions.

Ms. Michelle Oxina

Ms. Michelle Oxina served as the Procurement Officer for the USAID-funded GABAY project, a critical role that underpinned the successful execution of its activities throughout its implementation. Her responsibilities involved meticulously managing the acquisition of the diverse equipment, materials, and services required by the project. This included procuring essential training manuals and kits for health workers and educators, specialized screening equipment for H/ATCs, and vital assistive technology and learning resources for the ILRCs. Ms. Oxina's efficient management of the procurement process ensured that necessary resources were available when and where they were needed. Her efforts were fundamental in translating project plans into tangible assets on the ground, directly supporting capacity-building initiatives, establishing resource centers, and enabling interventions that benefited children with sensorial disabilities and partner stakeholders.

Training Officer

Mr. John Vincent Cabizares

Project Information Technology Specialist

Mr. John Vincent Conise Cabizares served as the Project IT Specialist for the USAID-funded GABAY project, a critical role that spanned key phases of its implementation and was vital to its technological interventions. His responsibilities were central to providing essential IT support and expertise, particularly concerning assistive technology for children with disabilities. Mr. Cabizares played a key role in adapting the project to online modalities, supporting training on accessing digital and printed materials through technology (such as screen readers and magnification software), and providing technical assistance for the setup and utilization of specialized equipment in the Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs). He facilitated training sessions for teachers on using equipment like Braille embossers and related software, enabling the production of accessible learning materials. His expertise was fundamental in ensuring that technology served as a bridge to inclusive education, directly contributing to GABAY's objectives of improving reading performance and increasing access to learning resources for children with sensorial and other disabilities.

Mr. Justine Barcenas Po

Mr. Justine Barcenas made invaluable contributions to the USAID-funded GABAY project, serving as a key member of the RBI team, a Field Coordinator, and a leading Deaf Mentor. His role was central to advancing Filipino Sign Language (FSL) and promoting deaf inclusion throughout the project's lifespan. As a Deaf professional, he brought authentic experience and expertise to capacity-building initiatives, directly training and mentoring teachers and parents on FSL, visual gestural communication, and deaf culture. Mr. Barcenas was instrumental in the development of regional FSL dictionaries and stories, ensuring they were culturally appropriate and accessible to deaf learners. He actively participated in outreach and advocacy activities, including community screenings and forums, bringing the voice of the Deaf community to the forefront. His dedication and tireless efforts were fundamental in empowering educators and families, providing deaf learners with access to their natural language, and significantly contributing to GABAY's goals for improved reading performance and inclusive education for deaf children.

Deaf Mentor / Field Coordinator

Ms. Kit Labastida

Field Coordinator

Kit Labastida served as a Field Coordinator for the USAID-funded GABAY project in Region V (Sorsogon and Albay), a crucial role for ensuring effective ground-level implementation. Her responsibilities were central to coordinating project activities, including training sessions, screening campaigns, and monitoring visits, within her assigned region. As a Field Coordinator, Ms. Labastida served as a key liaison between the central GABAY team, local DepEd and LGU partners, and beneficiaries. Her efforts were vital in facilitating communication, managing logistics, and providing on-the-ground support for project interventions in Region V, directly contributing to the successful execution of GABAY's programs in that area.

Ms. Fatima Ria Publico

Ms. Fatima Ria Publico served as a Field Coordinator for the USAID-funded GABAY project in Southern Leyte, a critical role for ensuring the successful implementation of project activities in this region. Her responsibilities were central to coordinating trainings, screening campaigns, monitoring visits, and managing logistics on the ground. As a Field Coordinator, Ms. Publico served as a key liaison between the central GABAY team, local DepEd and LGU partners (including those in Maasin City and Southern Leyte Province), and project beneficiaries. Her dedicated efforts were vital in navigating local contexts, fostering strong relationships with partners, and ensuring that GABAY's interventions reached children with sensorial disabilities and their support networks in Southern Leyte, contributing significantly to the project's impact in the Visayas region.

Field Coordinator

Integral to Implementation:

The Contributions of Unnamed RBI Gabay Staff

Beyond the named individuals, the success of the USAID-funded GABAY project was significantly underpinned by the vital contributions of numerous other dedicated RBI Gabay staff members. These individuals formed the essential operational backbone of the project throughout its five years. Their diverse roles included handling critical administrative functions, providing necessary support in finance and procurement processes, meticulously managing and encoding project data essential for monitoring and reporting, offering general IT assistance, and ensuring the smooth execution of field activities at the local level by assisting Field Coordinators. Their adaptability and resilience were particularly evident during periods of staff transition and the challenges posed by the pandemic, stepping into necessary support roles to maintain project momentum. The collective efforts of these unnamed staff members were fundamental in enabling the named specialists and leadership to focus on strategic and technical tasks, ensuring efficient day-to-day functioning, broadening the project's reach on the ground, and providing the foundational support integral to achieving GABAY's transformative goals for inclusive education.