Deaf Friends Circle – Youth Section
Back in 2001, Rommel Lo organized the Deaf Friends Circle with a group of some Deaf at the Catholic Mission for the Deaf in Cebu City. DFC started organizing some sports activities like volleyball games held on a Sunday. DFC would have wanted to plan more activities but encountered some challenges with the availability of its members to join the said activities.
Although DFC did not continue in Cebu, Rommel did not give up on the idea of forming such a similar group. When he went back to Dumaguete, he encouraged the young Deaf to join him in forming the DFC. Rommel envisions an empowered Deaf who is open to life’s opportunities, learning and experiences. Deaf Friends Circle has members who are mostly High School Deaf students in Dumaguete.
The “Dumaguete Effata Association of the Deaf” (D.E.A.F.) an already existing organization of the Deaf in Dumaguete saw the opportunity to collaborate with DFC in its aim to address the issues and needs of the Deaf Youth. D.E.A.F. Volunteer Ms. Jessie Susan Flores, a board member of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf- Youth Section (PFD-YS) approached Rommel and the DFC and invited them to become the D.E.A.F.’s arm organization and would become the Youth-Section governing body. The partnership of the two organizations has been approved in 2007. DFC has since been known to be DFC-YS (Deaf Friends Circle – Youth Section).
About DFC - YS?
Deaf Friends Circle - Youth Section (DFC - YS) is a non-profit association and provides young Deaf and Hard of Hearing people with social, service opportunities and an ever growing circle of friends. DFC – YS is the governing body of the Dumaguete Effata Association of the Deaf (DEAF) for programs and activities intended and related to the Deaf Youth.
DFC’s goals are to develop leaders, to promote friendship and to provide service to humanity. DFC aims to help the young Deaf grow in their personal lives, to provide a nurturing environment so as for them to enjoy and experience life with the Deaf community.
DFC’s mission is “Prepare Leaders through service.” The vision is “A life open to opportunities, adventure, and learning, to start living life with meaning and purpose.”
