Benildeans Watch Senate Decision on CJ Impeachment

Since January 16, 2011, the Center of Partnership and Development (CPD) under the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is setting up two TVs, a big one and a small one, outside the CPD office every Mondays to Thursdays at two in the afternoon inside the Taft Campus.  Many Benildean administrative officers, faculty, staff, and students are passing by the PEN-MLC hall to watch the ANC TV with interpreting insets for five months.

Until now, not only Benildeans but also several people outside the CSB and the Deaf Filipino community nationwide sit around the PEN-MLC hall area to watch Studio 23 with Sign Language Interpreter insets, Mr. John Xandre Balisa and Ms. Catherine Joy "Joi" Villareal.

Last May 29, 2012, everyone gathered around to watch the end of the Corona impeachment with the verdict of guilty, and the speeches of the senate judges telling their decisions of whether acquit or convict to the Chief Justice, giving the final result of 20 senate judges who convicted and 3 senate judges who acquitted the Chief Justice. Finally, Renato Corona is proven guilty of the statements and violations against the law and is no longer the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 

Benildeans are finally happy that this has already passed and they would like to thank the Sign Language Interpreters who are always willing to work and serve at ANC TV and also the ABS-CBN for the opportunity of opening the interpreting inset in ANC TV and during the Chief Justice trial in Studio 23.

by Mackie Calbay

edited by Marina Viktoria De Los Reyes

House Bills 4121 and 4631

Being one of the signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Philippine government is responsible for addressing the needs of the Deaf and for providing equality and accessibility for them. However, the current laws in the country do not include the provision of sign language insets for news programs and the hiring of interpreters for the persons with disabilities which further disables the Deaf community. 

To address this problem, the Deaf community is currently supporting the two House Bills that were proposed and submitted to the House of Congress by Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Congressman Teodoro Casiño, the House Bill 4121 or the Sign-language insets for News Programs Act of 2011 and the House Bill 4631 or the Court Interpreters for Persons with Disabilities Act.

Below is the further elaboration of the two House Bills being proposed.

HOUSE BILL No. 4121

Sign-language insets for News Programs Act of 2011.

Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7277, or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities,” as amended by Republic Act No. 9442, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 22 Broadcast Media – ALL LOCAL television stations shall be REQUIRED to provide a sign-language inset, AND IF POSSIBLE, subtitles in at least TWO (2) newscast programs a day and special programs covering events of national significance.”

Without subtitles or sign language on TV, the Deaf are deprived of timely and relevant information that broadcast news provides.

Through this proposed bill, the broadcast media will be more accessible to the Deaf. It may also pave the way for more captioned or sign-language interpreted programs in the future.

It should also be considered that less than 5% of the reported 120,000 Deaf persons are literate or have received any form of schooling according to the Philippine Deaf Resource Center. This is why Filipino sign language is preferred over captions.

HOUSE BILL No. 4631

Court Interpreters for Persons with Disabilities Act.

“SECTION 4. Hiring of interpreters. – All courts, quasi-judicial bodies, agencies and government institutions conducting investigations and public hearings shall hire interpreters for proceedings involving individuals ascertained to be deaf through accepted clinical standards and procedures. However, a deaf individual may waive the right to an interpreter. The concerned body that hired the services of the interpreter shall provide the budget for the prompt payment of interpreters which shall be on a per appearance basis, including travel, board/lodging as well as other expenses before the case is filed in court.”

There is a need of interpreters for the Deaf during investigative and judicial proceedings. Unfortunately, the current system does not have a clear procedure for such resulting to delay in proceedings and the Deaf having to pay and find a suitable interpreter.

The proposed bill addresses all of these problems. It is the responsibility of the State to provide interpreters during any government proceeding, be it for police investigations, court, or public hearings. Hired interpreters are also entitled to sufficient payment and rest.

Source: http://housebills4deaf.webs.com/apps/documents/

An online petition to push these House Bills is currently on going and everyone is asked and invited to sign the petition in support to the Deaf community. Please also feel free to pass on the message to your Deaf, Hearing, Filipino and non-Filipino friends.

Sign the Petition here: http://housebills4deaf.webs.com/

edited by: Marina Viktoria De Los Reyes

First Sign Language Interpreter Assembly in the Philippines

"Accessibility for Deaf people is not about the physical obstacles but the barriers lie in lack of access to information and communication. Sign language interpretation guarantees the right of Deaf people to live in equality with the rest of society. Access to communication and information is essential for Deaf people as stated in the United Nations - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), of which the Philippines is a signatory. To enable the deaf to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, state parties shall take appropriate measures to provide professional sign language interpreters. " 

May 21, hearing or deaf interpreters and sign language enthusiasts gathered together to  first ever National General Assembly of Sign Language Interpreters in the Philippines  held at CAP Development Center, Makati City. The gathering aims to establish a national association of Sign Language Interpreters for the Deaf in the Philippines.The theme of the event is: "Towards Professionalization of Sign Language Interpreting." 

DLS-CSB's Silent Steps rendered the doxology. 

Ms Raquel Corpuz introduced the keynote speaker. 

Keynote speaker is Liza Martinez, Ph.D., Director of the Philippine Deaf Resource Center 

with interpreter Ms. Febe Sevilla.

Dean Nicky Perez was host  with Ms. Jerly Ann Villanueva as her interpreter. 

 Mr. Domingo  discussed  "Deaf Human Rights and Sign Language Interpreters". 

 Mr. Alfredo Celada, Jr., C.E.O. of the Philippine Association of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment, discussed    "Establishing a National Association of Sign Language Interpreters."   Jun Jun Sevilla interpreting.

Dr. Liza Martinez moderating the discussion on Creating a Vision. 

An open forum followed afterwards. 

Voting for representatives followed after.

People behind the scenes. Thank you for making the event a success! 

The video to follow....
in the meantime sign in, sign up: For HB 4121 and 4631. http://housebills4deaf.webs.com/