Charvie and Leo painting. Teachers set a good example by volunteering.
A donut reward after the hard work.
All together now!
SDEAS TEAM!
YOUNG volunteers take a breather from building homes for the poor under the “1K for 1 Day” of Habitat for Humanity in Calauan, Laguna. MARICAR P. CINCO/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZONhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/10131/habitat-youngsters-build-homes-for-a-day
CALAUAN, Laguna— Daisielynne Reyes, 23, had to put down the can of paint she was carrying and take off her work gloves in order to talk. She needed both hands to express her thoughts in sign language.
“She said she remembered doing the same when they had to paint their own home. But it was her first time to paint houses for other people,” said teacher Bea Francisco who interpreted for the hearing-impaired Reyes.
Reyes was one of the 60 students from the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies of the De La Salle College of St. Benilde that took part yesterday in the “1K for 1 Day,” a project of the Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) to tap high school and college students in building homes at a government relocation site here.
Reyes’ family had to leave their home in Bulacan and move in with her grandmother in Manila to be closer to school. Her father, who was employed as a security guard, passed away in 2008. The family is being supported by a sister who works in the United States, having been brought there by a restaurant chain that she had started working for in the Philippines.
Reyes misses her old home but is happy about relocating to Manila because at least the family is together.
“She said that more than relocating, that’s what’s important,” said Francisco.
This was the message that Reyes conveyed to the families who had to relocate from the Estero de Paco in Manila but who will soon be occupying the houses that she and other volunteers had painted yesterday.
“People don’t get everything in life. To be given a new home is an opportunity and (the new house owners) must now be responsible for their homes and their families,” she said.
Overwhelming youth turnout
“1K” stands for the 1,000 targeted youth volunteers but the turnout was overwhelming. There were 1,600 students from international schools and private and public universities and colleges in Manila that volunteered to participate.
“It was a record number of youth volunteers, the largest number in a single day. So much energy and so much excitement,” said Fernando Zobel de Ayala, the Habitat campaign cabinet chair. He said it was the biggest Youth Build they’ve had so far in Asia.
Karen Davila, the ABS-CBN news anchor who is HFHP ambassador and campaign cabinet member, said she felt “good that students from all walks of life were here building homes for our kapwa (fellow) Pinoys! We need to expose our kids to these realities. Not all Filipinos live well or own their own home. They need us.”
Television host Kris Aquino, an HFHP nation-building ambassador, donated one house per month for a year in support of the campaign.
Ability, not disability
Reyes and her team of “differently abled” volunteers were assigned to paint a row of 90 houses that had already been constructed.
She said they did not feel any different from the other volunteers as everyone was focused on the idea of “building houses for the poor.”
“As we say, it’s the ability, not the disability. They can do just about anything but hear,” Francisco said.
Alex Eduque, the Habitat youth council chair, said the project sent a message to the youth about “the importance of volunteerism, cooperation and teamwork” regardless of who they were or where they came from.
Community service and workout
The rest of the volunteers were assigned to another block to build the foundation for 80 houses. They sifted sand, pushed carts of hollow blocks and piled concrete blocks under weather that rapidly changed from a simmering hot morning to a rainy mid-afternoon. Some even danced to the loud music from the speakers as they handed the concrete blocks to their teammates.
“Instead of spending the rest of the summer in the beaches, why not this way? Just the same, you’ll get a tan,” said Diane Gador, a student volunteer from Far Eastern University.
Her schoolmate, Kenn Vargan, said it was both a community service and a workout as they were surely burning fat in the heat.
“It’s an experience to familiarize ourselves in building houses,” said civil engineering student Jayson Reyes, who was with 300 engineering students from the Rizal Technological University, the biggest delegation of volunteers.
For Mary Anne Carillo, 25, and her sisters who are spending their two-week vacation in the Philippines, the experience of dirtying their hands as they carried concrete blocks was something to tell their friends when they return to New Jersey.
“I didn’t realize it would be this way, inspiring these youths from different schools and building (homes) for the Filipino people,” said actor and Habitat youth ambassador Matteo Guidicelli.
Panting as he laid out the bricks for a bathroom, Guidicelli said it was the first time he had joined a Youth Build.
HFHP managing director and CEO Ricky Jacinto said the houses that they had started building yesterday could be ready for use in 45 days.
The HFHP has so far built more than 500 homes, each one measuring about 20 square meters and 2.74 meters high, on this site.
Power of youth
Jacinto said the HFHP would next partner with the Department of Education in a future project to build houses for schoolteachers.
He said HFHP has seen how the “power of the youth and their energy can make a difference.”
“It’s never too early or too late for nation-building. It’s time we (adults) learn from them,” Jacinto said.
10 Years in Service: Maria Veronica T. Perez (Third from left)
10 Years in Service: Joy L. Cristal (Seventh from left)
5 Years in Service:Leo Angelo Cabasag (Third from left)
5 Years in Service:Anabelle Salazar (Seventh from left.)
5 Years in Service:Febe Sevilla (Fourth from left)Call for Applications:
Fellowship Opportunity For Master’s Degree in Comparative and International Disability Policy
For interested Deaf Applicants, please email theresa.christine.dela.torre@gmail.com
Web Sources:
What is IDPP (http://aseanidpp.org/node/27)
Requirements for admission (http://aseanidpp.org/admissions)
Application for Funding (http://aseanidpp.org/fellowships)
Deadline: June 10, 2011
Fellowship Opportunity
For Master’s Degree in Comparative and International Disability Policy
The Nippon Foundation will provide full fellowships including tuitions, books, required assistive technology and other support services, to a small group of individuals with disabilities to pursue graduate studies (Master’s level) in Comparative and International Disability Policy (CIPD) at American University's School of International Service, beginning in August 2011 at the recently established Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP) for the ASEAN region.
This program will be offered entirely online, with the exception of a two-week residency held at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, July 18th-29th. The applications deadline for the scholarship and degree program is June 10, 2011. Please note that from the pool of qualified applicants for the Nippon Foundation Fellowship, preference will be given to applicants who are residents of an ASEAN country and have a documented disability.
What is the IDPP?
The Institute on Disability and Public Policy was a result of several dialogues and in accordance with the ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders on the 30th Anniversary of the founding of ASEAN. The ASEAN Vision 2020 states that ASEAN will:
· enhance human resource development in all sectors of the economy through quality education, upgrading of skills and capabilities and training...[and]
· all people enjoy equitable access to opportunities for total human development and where the civil society is empowered and gives special attention to the disadvantaged, disabled and marginalized and where social justice and the rule of law reign..
Through discussions it was acknowledged that people with disabilities have not had access to postsecondary education...a major vehicle for the attainment of social and economic mobility. This is particularly true in the field of public policy studies. As a result, people with disabilities have not been able to acquire the academic credentials to participate as full partners in the construction of policies that significantly influence their lives. Consequently, the discussions led to a partnership that would develop a proposed Institute to address such concerns. Such an Institute would be established in full partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat and within the context of The Nippon Foundation—ASEAN Strategic Partnership Agreement, for the purpose of improving the circumstances of persons with disabilities in ASEAN countries.
Preference for the Fellowship will be given to applicants meeting the criteria below:
The IDPP fellowship committee is currently recruiting a small number of candidates who are 1) blind or visually impaired, 2) deaf or hearing impaired, and 3) mobility impaired, to serve as a human resource cadre to the IDPP and conduct research on disability and public policy in the ASEAN region.
A talented and motivated individual from one of the ten ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) with demonstrated leadership experience and commitment to working with organizations of/for disabled persons or other marginalized individuals in their own country.
A commitment to achieving positive change for disabled persons through the development of proactive public policies within the ASEAN region.
Information and communication technology (ICT) skills to communicate through distant education and schooling.
Commitment to cooperate with the IDPP to grow an alumni network after completing a Master’s degree in Comparative and International Disability Policy (CIDP).
A person with the academic requirements and experiential background to meet the entrance requirement of a Master’s degree program in CIDP. More information about the requirements for this program can be found on the Admissions page.
Application Requirements for Admissions to the MA in Comparative and International Disability Policy (CIDP) Program:
To be considered for admission, all applicants must:
Possess a bachelors degree from an accredited institution prior to August 29, 2011.
Submit a completed online application.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) online:
Your CV should list all your significant academic, personal, and professional achievements. Please give all relevant details regarding your work experience including the name of the organization, your duties, and the duration of your appointment.
Submit two (2) letters of recommendation using the online form:
One of the two letters must be from an academic source, preferably a faculty member with knowledge of your academic background. Letters from family or friends are not acceptable recommendations. The letters will be submitted electronically via the IDPP website.
Submit a Statement of Purpose online:
An essay stating your academic and career goals and statement of how the CIDP program specifically fits into your academic and/or career plans. Please provide information about how your life experiences have prepared your for a Master's in Comparative and International Disability and Policy, and why you will be a good candidate for the program. Limit the essay to 1000-1500 words.
Submit an Addendum Essay Online:
Please use this supplementary essay to discuss any personal or professional challenge that you have encountered. Limit essay to 500 words or less. If relevant, please also describe your preferred or required communication tools, technologies and/or techniques. Applicants to the Nippon Foundation Fellowship must explain their interest in the program and relevant experience in the addendum.
Submit official transcripts:
Submit official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended. Transcripts must list all courses taken, grades received, degree(s) conferred, and degree conferral date(s). Transcripts should be sealed and accompanied with translation if not in English. Grade translations into the US grading system are not necessary. Original transcripts and translation (if applicable) should be mailed directly from issuing institution to the IDPP office c/o American University, School of International Service, IDPP-COTELCO Office, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20016-8071, USA
Submit proof of satisfactory English proficiency, including but not limited to: For accommodation information for these examinations, please visit the following:
ELTS: International English Language Testing System; Preferred minimum score of 7.0
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language; Preferred minimum score of 100 (IBT); 250 (CBT) or 600 (PBT)
PTE: Pearson Test of English (Academic); Preferred minimum score of 68.
TOEFL: http://www.ets.org/disabilities
IELTS: http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/what_is_ielts/special_needs.aspx
PTE: http://www.pearsonpte.com/Testme/Documents/PTEA_Test_Taker_Handbook_EN.pdf
Should you be unable to secure appropriate test accommodations to meet the application deadline, please immediately contact Jia Jiang, Assistant Director of Graduate International Admissions, at jiang@american.edu.
Voting for representatives followed after.
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL No. 4631
______________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIÑO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, ANTONIO L. TINIO and EMMI A. DE JESUS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
For most people, the importance of communication is usually taken for granted. But for individuals constrained by hearing or faced with audiological impairment, the insufficiency of communication systems and the lack of support can cause great injustice and disparity.
For instance, data from the Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC) show that one out of three deaf women is a victim of rape while 65 to 70% of deaf children are molested. Of the 82 cases they monitored, 67% of deaf complainants lodged rape complaints while 32% of deaf respondents were accused of theft.
With the high incidence of criminal cases involving deaf persons, there is an unquestionable need for interpreters during investigative and judicial proceedings. Unfortunately, the current system does not have a clear procedure for such. Oftentimes, the deaf individual is left to find and pay a suitable interpreter. Without a proper system, finding an interpreter may also delay proceedings.
The proposed bill addresses all of these problems. It is the responsibility of the State to provide for interpreters during any government proceeding, be it for police investigations, court or public hearings. Hired interpreters are also entitled to sufficient payment and rest.
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval thereof is highly recommended.
Approved,
TEDDY A. CASIÑO NERI JAVIER COLMENARES
Bayan Muna Party-list Bayan Muna Party-list
LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN RAFAEL V. MARIANO
Gabriela Women’s Party Anakpawis Party-list
RAYMOND V. PALATINO ANTONIO L. TINIO
EMMI A. DE JESUS
Gabriela Women’s Party
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL No. 4631
______________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIÑO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, ANTONIO L. TINIO and EMMI A. DE JESUS
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR INTERPRETERS in all judicial,
quasi-judicial, investigative proceedings AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
involving DEAF individuals
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Court Interpreters for Persons with Disabilities Act.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall give full support to the integration of persons with disabilities into mainstream society and “exert all efforts to remove all social, cultural, economic, environmental and attitudinal barriers that are prejudicial” to them, pursuant of Republic Act No. 7277 or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.” It is also a declared policy of the State that all persons shall be given equal opportunity, due process and speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.
SECTION 3. Definition. For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:
a. Person with disabilities – a person who has a restriction or limitation in personal mobility, communications, development and others resulting from the interaction between person with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders his/her full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others;
b. Disability – an activity limitation or restriction as a result of the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others;
c. Impairment - any loss, diminution or aberration of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function;
d. deaf- means a person who has an audiological impairment that makes him / her unable to hear, or experience difficulty in hearing. Deaf in uppercase D specifically refers to a person who uses the visual language of the community as his /her primary means of communication in daily life, and supports its goals and values as a linguistic and cultural minority. This Act primarily refers to individuals who acquired hearing loss in the early years of life, and not Senior Citizens;
f. Hard of hearing - means a person who can understand words only if spoken very loud or close to the ear and has severe difficulties if there are other sources of noise. People who are hard of hearing include those who can be helped with a hearing aid;
g. Linguistically isolated deaf - a deaf individual who has extremely poor overall communication skills. This individual usually has had minimal or no schooling and uses only home signs or gestures (i.e., uses signs different from the signs commonly used in the community); and, has extremely limited vocabulary and fingerspelling skills;
h. Deaf interpreter or Deaf relay interpreter - an interpreter who is deaf and relays information between a linguistically isolated deaf client and a hearing interpreter;
i. Consecutive interpreting - process of interpreting wherein the interpreter transmits information into the target language after the speaker / signer pauses upon completing one or more ideas from the source language;
j. Simultaneous interpreting - process of interpreting into the target language at the same time the source language is being delivered;
k. Manual communication – various forms of visual-spatial communication utilizing the hands, face and body. For the Philippines, this includes: the natural sign language, Filipino Sign Language; Manually Coded English systems, and nonstandard gestures.
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.
SECTION 5. Qualifications of interpreters. – Until an official and national testing mechanism and certification procedure is developed for interpreters and recognized by the government, a qualified interpreter shall be selected on the basis of the following:
a. Endorsement under oath by registered deaf organizations / federation that the interpreter has interpreting experience of at least four (4) years (for hearing interpreters), or one (1) year (for deaf interpreters);
b. Empirical demonstration of his/her language competencies and interpreting ability.
Supplementary documentation on language competency and interpretation ability of hearing interpreters includes interpreter training, work-related interpreting experience, sign language instruction and relationship to Deaf family members.
Selection of the appropriate qualified interpreter(s) should be based on language competency which matches that of the deaf client.
A person related within the third degree of affinity or consanguinity to any of the parties, witnesses, and other participants of the case cannot be appointed as the interpreter.
Deaf counselors who have previously worked with the deaf or the hard of hearing party, witness, or participant cannot be appointed as interpreter for the case.
SECTION 6. Guidelines. – To protect the rights of the deaf individual and the interpreter/s, the following guidelines shall be observed:
a. Appointed interpreters provide a service equally to the deaf clients and the hearing members of the court. Thus they shall interpret the entire proceeding and not only the testimony of the deaf party. For cases of sexual abuse, the interpreter/s should be the same gender as the offended party. Accommodations should be procedurally and age-appropriate, and also gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory;
b. For linguistically isolated deaf, the court shall appoint a hearing interpreter and a Deaf relay interpreter;
c. To address interpreting fatigue, the interpreter must be given adequate rest after 30 minutes of continuous interpreting, according to medically accepted standards for the prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury;
d. All interpreters are bound by the common duty to observe confidentiality and neutrality before, during, and after the proceedings;
e. In cases where there is more than one deaf party, witness or participant, and these deaf individuals have been ascertained to have different communication and interpreting needs, then separate interpreters with the required skills shall be appointed;
f. Consecutive interpreting shall be used when the deaf is linguistically isolated, or in other situations when this would be more effective than simultaneous interpreting;
g. Interpreting should also be provided during the administration of justice by police and prison staff.
SECTION 7. Orientation of Interpreters. – Qualified interpreters shall be trained in ethical responsibilities, terms and legal concepts under a program to be established by the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice, in partnership with groups such as the Philippine Federation of the Deaf.
SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Council on Disability Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court and other concerned government bodies and shall work together, in coordination with non-government organizations and schools concerned with the deaf and Deaf interpreting, and promulgate and issue the rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act.
SECTION 9. Constitutionality. – Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions, orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
