Students of the Philippine Institute for the Deaf's took center stage on Thursday night for their recital, "Live the Moment, Move the Memory", held at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City.

The event featured not only deaf students but special learners performing excerpts from beloved Disney stories, including Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Mulan, and Snow White.

Through the performances, the students demonstrated their ability to sing, dance, and act despite their hearing impairments.

"Every year talaga ginagawa namin itong recital. Ito yung evaluation of the hardwork of the teachers and the students. Dito namin mae-evaluate yung natutunan ng deaf students namin where they can be able to speak, makapagsalita," said the school's guidance counselor and artistic director, Ricky Bautista.

"Kahit hindi nila naririnig yung sounds they were able to be trained na kumanta, sumayaw at same time umacting during recital," he added.

The recital involved 80 to 90 special students who underwent a rigorous three-month training program. The process included auditions for roles and workshops in acting, singing, and dancing. 

Bautista also highlighted the school's mission of preparing students for future careers.

"Ang mission namin talaga is we want them to be in a regular school in college. We want to see 'yung mga dreams nila ay ma-fulfill nila kasi di naman lahat nung company or school know how to sign," he said.

Ross Rivera, father of 19-year-old Ethan, who played Tarzan, said theater helped with his son’s growth.

"Siyempre proud na proud sakanya despite his disability nagagawa niya yung mga nagagawa din ng normal na bata na pumapasok sa eswkelahan at nagpeperform sa harap ng mga tao," Rivera said. 

"Nung bata siya medyo timid siya mahiyain then nagiging confident siya through the years ngayon kaya na nyang humarap sa mga tao at hindi niya kinakahiya yung kanyang disability," he added.