Journey on Interpreting

By Mackie Calbay

According to the 2000 census of National Statistics Office (NS0) there are 123,000 Deaf Filipinos in different places of the country. Many of them live in rural areas and do not receive proper Interpreter service.

Another support service which we lack is closed caption or inset interpreter in television news program disables further the Filipino Deaf. They are usually unaware of the local and national issues occurring in different areas of the country.

Additionally, two House Bills were proposed to the House of Congress. The House Bill 4121 request the implementation of sign language inset interpreter in local television news and in any event of national significance. The other, the House Bill 4631, requests for implementation of court interpreters for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). These two House Bills were submitted by Bayan Muna Partylist Representative, Congressman Teodoro Casiño and pushed by the Deaf population in the House of Congress in August 2011.

Chapter 5: The Section 22 of Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (Republic Act No. 7277) states that television stations shall be encouraged to provide a sign language inset or subtitles in at least one newscast program a day.

Staunch support should be undertaken to implement the proposed policies. This research hereby suggests three policies to push the implementation of Deaf needs for equal access in communication and information technology: (1.) The Philippine government, as signatory, should adhere to the policies mentioned in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (2.) A sufficient annual budget to support the implementation of Deaf needs should be made (3.) Equal access in telecommunications should be implemented in the country.

Before the live coverage of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona began, the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) contacted the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and partnered with the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies and Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters to get Interpreters for interpreting inset ANC LIVE 27 and Studio 23, Monday to Thursday, 2:00p.m. onwards, at ABS-CBN, Quezon City.

This is a team effort with four members per coverage including two interpreters, a Deaf consultant and a hearing coordinator. The hearing coordinator works with the program crew and the Deaf Consultant checks each interpreter's signing, translate from Legal words to Filipino Sign Language, fluid switching of interpreters within the inset every 20 minutes and monitoring on Interpreters' signing related the said issue of Chief Justice on Trial.

It's good opportunity and we are willing to serve for the Deaf community to be more aware of current issues. It really is helpful; a step towards a barrier-free society and access to information benefits not only the Deaf but also the Hearing sectors. Today is the best time for the Filipino Deaf to voice out the needs of the Filipino Deaf society.