BRINA KEI MAXINO

Brina Kei Maxino is a 21 years old Filipino. She has Down Syndrome and a person with
intellectual disability She is currently working as an Assistant Teacher. She is a Special
Olympics Global Ambassador, advocating for the respect for, and inclusion of, persons with
intellectual disability in society. Brina proved the world wrong, and graduated from a regular
High School as the Class Valedictorian. In 2017, she graduated from college with a Bachelor of
Arts degree, and major in History. She also earned her Certificate in General Clerical Skills and a
Diploma. Brina is now working as an Assistant Teacher in a regular Grade School. Her journey
with Special Olympics started in 2012 when she was appointed as Global Youth Ambassador,
representing the Asia Pacific region. Her latest achievement was being chosen by the United
Nations as a UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (Gem0 Champion for Education and
Inclusion.
Her contribution to society is that she teaches many students because she is a teacher, and
she is a role model because of her accomplishments. She stated that “As a unified generation, let
us stand together and declare that all people matter; we who are differently abled, we matter,
too.” She proves to the world that despite those challenges she experienced, if you are willing to
do such things, you are the one who will work hard for it, and so, nothing is impossible.
Her achievements inspired me, and I look up to her as a role model for today’s
generation. She inspired me to do things that I thought were impossible, but she taught me that
nothing is impossible if you believe in God, your family, and most importantly, yourself. She
inspired many people because she achieved her dreams and has many accomplishments to be
proud of. She also inspired me because, despite having Down Syndrome, she did not give up
easily, she trusted her own skills and abilities, and she proved that she could do more and more.
 AIREEN C. MONTICALVO

Ms. Aireen Monticalvo is 23 years old, and she lives in barangay of Dancalan Bobon in
the province of Northern Samar. Her feet and legs are short due to a physical disability. She is
currently the president of their local chapter and the treasurer of the Bobon Federation of Persons
with Disabilities. She is the Valedictorian of Asia college.
Her contribution to their community since she is a chapter president led them to create a
program called TUPAD CASH that works for PWD. She helps those who have a disability by
giving them financial support. She is also a PWD treasurer in Bobon Federation, which means
she is the one who holds the funds of their organization. She also proves that despite her
condition, she can work not just for herself but also for their family.
She inspires me also for her achievements and for being valedictorian of her school I
know that being an honor student is not easy, but this woman taught me that if she can do it, then
I can, too. She motivates me by trusting myself and just ignoring those people show are judging
my personality. This woman gives me many realizations in life, like that we are not all equal for
some reason, but we should respect each other. People with disabilities deserve to be respected
and not discriminated, and even though they are incomplete in some parts of the body, they are
blessed and given skills and talents that are greater than ours.

REFLECTION:
My reflection on this is that we should respect others’ differences and accept them
wholeheartedly. Persons with disabilities are part of our society, and in fact, despite their
conditions, they are the ones who have most to contribute to it. I also learned that their disability
is not a reason to give up because sometimes that is the reason why they are willing to achieve
their dreams to prove that if we can, then they can also.
ASSIGNMENT IN
PHILOSOPHY
SUBMITTED BY:
KRISTINE J. TOLITOL
12-STEM GOLD

SUBMITTED TO:
SIR MARCELINO JALOSLOS
SUBJECT TEACHER