Casiño bats for funding for sign language interpreters in courts

Saying Congress should protect the right of Deaf people to attain justice, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño is asking Congress to allocate at least P2,080,000 to fund sign language interpreters in the country's courts.


"This seems like a small amount but will do wonders in ensuring that our deaf citizens will have more access to justice. It will give meaning to the adage that those who have less in life should have more in law," said Casiño.

In yesterday's hearing of the Judiciary, Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez admitted that despite an SC memo and circular that provides for sign language interpreters in courts, their proposed 2012 budget does not have a specific allocation for said item and related expenses. Instead, such expenses are charged to the savings in the appropriations of the lower courts.

Casiño said because of this, expenses for sign language interpreters have to compete with other expenses charged to savings, like maintenance, repair and improvement of facilities as well as adjustments in pension payments which are often given priority.

"It is urgent that we have specific appropriations for sign language interpreters. Studies indicate that one out of three deaf women are victims of rape and a lot of deaf children are being molested because they find it difficult to complain and seek help. They are victimized twice over in our courts, where justice becomes elusive because our courts do not have the facility to make them participate meaningfully," said Casiño.

According to the Philippine Deaf Resource Center, of the 200 or so cases requiring sign language interpreters in 2010, only a handful were able to employ such services and less were actually paid for by the courts.

Casiño recounted an experience of a deaf woman in Cagayan de Oro whose parents were killed in a car crash. The case she filed against the driver of the truck that killed her parents dragged because of the lack of a sign language interpreter. She found it difficult to keep track of the court proceedings and, out of frustration, eventually gave up her case.

Casiño is principal author of House Bill 4631 titled "An act providing for interpreters in all judicial, quasi-judicial, investigative proceedings and public hearings involving deaf individuals" which is pending with the Committee on Justice.

DLS-CSB : 17, 245 signatures for HBs for the Deaf!

Animo Benilde!

In  less than 3 weeks,  a great campaign was set off to gather signatures for the HouseBills for the Deaf:

                HB 4121- Sign Language TV Inset

                HB 4631- Interpreters in Courts. 

The goal was to be able to contribute to the needed 300,000 signatures to  lobby the Housebills supportive of Deaf access. 

With much effort, relentless determination and spirited campaign from all sectors of the College, as of June 29  the DLS-CSB community was able to gather 

17,245 signatures!!!

  

17, 245 is the count for signatures in the petition paper. Number does not yet reflect signatures gathered online. We have yet to ask PDRC for the total national signatures gathered.

Another good news is that PDRC  extended the gathering of signatures to July 30. We can go for 100,000 signatures to contribute! 

The campaign also  is great opportunity to clarify the importance of access to information for the Deaf as a basic human right. 

Let's go for more signatures.  Get in touch with Mackie, Raphy  or Mylene to get a copy of the petition papers. CPD office, 1st floor (beside PEN MLC), DLS-CSB Taft campus.  Or you can email: deaf.partnerships@benilde.edu.ph

Here is a link of how a bill becomes a law: http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/politi-ko/politiko-features/9057-15th-congress-house-of-representatives.html

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