Siena Capistrano

My name is Ma. Siena Ann M. Capistrano, and you can call me Teacher Siena. I work as a full-time special education teacher handling learners with visual impairment in Padre Mariano Gomez Elementary School, Manila, Philippines. I am married with 3 beautiful daughters. At home you will find me binge watching documentary series in Netflix while working on my task as a teacher and cooking or baking in the kitchen.

In 2008, I became a high school teacher in a private school and after almost 2 years of teaching I resigned because of personal reasons. 2010 was a year was full of challenges for me because I was diagnosed with stage I cancer of the uterus. Before I proceeded with my chemotherapy, I finished my application to the public school. I completed 4 chemotherapy cycles just to get rid of the Big-C and continuous follow-up with my oncologist just to make sure that it will not come back. I always prayed to God to heal me and give me a chance to live, and vowed that I would do everything just to serve Him.  Luckily, December 2010 was my last chemotherapy session, and I also received a text message from the Department of Education, Schools Division Office – Manila that I would start teaching in an elementary public school. All my prayers were answered, and all sacrifices paid off.

In 2011, I started teaching in Padre Mariano Gomez Elementary School wherein I handled Grade 5 pupils. Until one of the teachers of learners with visual impairment, Mrs. Gina Acuzar, came to me and told me everything about the Department of Education Scholarship. This scholarship will let you prepare to become a teacher of learners with visual impairment. I hastened to embrace this opportunity and I grabbed it whole heartedly. This started my teaching career as a TVI.

In 2012, I started teaching in a visually impaired class.