SONA: What Goes on in the Preparation?

by: Giselle Montero

What goes on in the inset interpreting in SONA?

A lot of coordination...

The first SONA was organized barely 4 days including a Saturday and Sunday. It took a lot of goodwill, friends and networking to be able to get in touch with the TV stations. CEAD Director Techie De la Torre, SDEAS Dean Nicky Perez and I texted each other unceasingly to be able to get in. In the end, our efforts were marked with success. TV5, ANC and GMA were willing to have inset interpreters for their SONA coverages.

By Sunday evening (read 10 pm) we were forming the teams and doing logistics; the SONA was on a Monday. We got in touch with other interpreters and Deaf organizations- everybody was enthusiastic.

Note: Not in photo Sir Jojo Esposa of MCCID

With the help of a lot people we pulled it through. So we are really super appreciative of everyone's efforts. The deaf community is also very thankful.

This second SONA was also organized in a short time but with more days to put it together. Since PNASLI was working with TV5, we just had to get in touch with the 2 other stations. ANC got in touch with CSB and we got in touch with GMA. Again, teams were formed 4 days before and once again, we are so grateful once again, to a lot of people.

Each station had a team of 4: 2 interpreters, a Deaf consultant and a coordinator.

Two interpreters were needed since they needed rest time after every 20-30 minutes of interpreting.

The Deaf consultant gives face to face feedback to the interpreter if he/she is still understood.

And the Team coordinator ensures that logistics needed by the Deaf and interpreter are communicated to the TV station- call time, vehicle, water, where to stand, make up, background, etc.

Example: We had to make sure the interpreters were comfortable while signing.

This was the first chair. Looks nice but swings a lot. We had to change.

Second option was a sturdy pedestal. Sturdy, yes but bad for the back.

So we finally settled with an applebox for Therese and the floor for Jojo. Yes they will just stand:) But they have to have the same height so there is no camera adjustment, thus, the applebox.

Here is a video on what goes on in the studio:

After the SONA, Rhoel of GMAnewsonline interviewed us for newbits. Also, we got to eat after the great work.

Before going home, we had to have our photos taken:

We did talk about possibilities of having interpreters in the news and cleared up a lot of questions about the Deaf community. We will be following up, of course, to form stronger partnerships.

Thank you to everyone.