Deaf Evangelistic Alliance Foundation Inc. was founded by Rev. Aimee Ada Coryell and her mother Ada Mable Coryell in 1969. The mother and daughter missionary team came to the Philippines from Japan with the hope of establishing Christian churches for the deaf in the country. They were surprised to learn upon arriving in the Philippines that many of the Filipino deaf did not have formal education. Rev. Coryell then initiated the building of the first privately operated school for the deaf in the country.

The missionary team was awarded by the Philippine government 80 hectares of land on the mountaintop of Cavinti, Laguna. This is where the first DEAF Inc. school was built. The first class was composed of 21 students from around Laguna and was personally taught by Rev. Coryell. For years both students and teacher had to trek 7.5km up the mountain to get to the school. Supplies were periodically brought in by helicopter through missionary friends from the Flying Medical Samaritans.

At the fifth year of the school’s founding, Rev. Coryell’s path crossed with SC Shangkuan, an elder of the United Evangelical Churches of the Philippines. Elder Shangkuan was deeply encouraged by the story of DEAF Inc. that he helped make it a full-fledged nonprofit organization for the deaf in the country. He also formed the first Board of Trustees, of which its members were mostly composed of his fellow elders from UECP and other Christian Churches.

While serving as Chairman, he helped forge a partnership with Christoffel-Blinden Missions (CBM) of Germany. The nonprofit organization chose DEAF Inc. as one of its beneficiary organizations in the Philippines. It was during this time that the Community Based Rehabilitation Programs began. Palawan was identified as the priority area for the programs due to the high incidence of youth deafness in the province. Elder Shangkuan served as Chairman of the Board until his demise. He was succeeded by Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro who continues to serve as DEAF Inc. Chairman until today.