SONA 2012 for the Filipino Deaf

July 23, 2012, Manila -- Three teams composed of veteran sign language interpreters, Deaf consultants and and hearing coordinators where assigned to a network each namely ANC, GMA News Online, and TV5 to provide real time inset interpreting as President Benigno Aguino III delivered his State of the Nation Address before the House of Representatives yesterday.

John Baliza, Tess Buenaventura, Weng Rivera, Aldrin Gabriel, and Mackie Calbay composed Team ANC

Photos by Carol Dagani

The GMA News Online Team included Joi Villareal, Rainer Blas, Rey Lee, Carol Dagani, and Joyce Dalawampu.

TV5 was in the good hands of Liza Presnillo, Jojo Esposa, and Moises Libot.

In between 8,000 words, 120 pauses for applause and 90 minutes running time, the six sign language interpreters, two for each network, raised the bar of interpreting for the Deaf yet again as they successfully provided inset interpreting in real time.

"It's our privilege to render public service and make sure that important information reaches the Deaf community," says Mr. Rainer Blas, Board Member of the Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI) for 2012-2015, "however, the professionalization of Sign Language Interpreters in the Philippines is also our advocacy."  Other PNASLI Board Members present yesterday were Mr. John Baliza and Ms. Liza Presnillo.

"We hope that more news programs will provide inset interpreting in the future," Mr. Rey Lee, President of the Philippine Federation of The Deaf, Inc. (PFD) was keen to emphasize. "We are currently setting up meetings with the Department of Education as well to discuss the use of Filipino Sign Language in the school curriculum."

PNASLI, established on May 21, 2011, is a unifying national organization of sign language interpreters with members - both Deaf and hearing - ensuring that there is full access to the d/Deaf throught the Philippines through quality interpreting. Most of the intepreters who collaborated with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Educaton and Applied Studies (DLS-CSB SDEAS) for the 2012 SONA are proud members of PNASLI.

Deaf consultants worked closely with the interpreters to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the signs as PNoy went through his 40-page address delivered in Filipino. Currently, the Deaf Community fully support House Bills 4121: Sign Language Interpreter inset TV News Program and 4631: Court Interpreter for PWDs and pressed for more attention and concern for Deaf needs in the next SONA of the President.

Special thanks to Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf (MCCID), Filipino Deaf Women's Health and Crisis Center (FDWHCC), Philippine Federation of the Deaf, Inc. (PFD), and the Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI) for working once again with DLS-CSB SDEAS to make the 2012 State of the Nation Address Accessible to the Filipino Deaf.

For inquiries, please contact DLS-CSB SDEAS Center for Partnership and Development at 526-7441 loc 239 or 0917-8698213. You may also email deaf.partnerships@benilde.edu.ph