City Council backs sign language bill

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/07/09/1474957/city-council-backs-sign-language-bill
• Thursday, July 9, 2015

By May B. Miasco / ATO (The Freeman) 12:00 am

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City Council has supported the call of the city’s deaf community to institutionalize the Filipino sign language as the country’s National Sign Language.

The deaf community is hoping the use of the Filipino sign language as the medium of communication in all transactions involving the deaf and the language of instruction for deaf education.

During their weekly session yesterday, the council members signed a position paper supporting the passage of a bill institutionalizing the rights of the hearing-impaired individuals across the country.

In his privilege speech, City Councilor Alvin Dizon stressed on the position paper of the Cebu Association of the Deaf (CAD), a non-profit organization of the deaf people in Cebu, that envisions for a “unified, educated and respected deaf community in a hearing society.”

Attended by the members of CAD, Dizon’s speech was translated to sign language by CAD President Janice Aparri.

“We stand by the Filipino Sign Language Act and your support to pass the bill into law will solidify our country’s commitment to diversity, equality, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability,” said Dizon, reading the position paper on behalf of CAD. Freeman ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

House Bill 450, also known as “The Filipino Sign Language Act of 2012,” was filed by Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio.

The proposed bill, when approved, will declare the Filipino sign language as the National Sign Language of the deaf. It will also become the official language of government in all transactions involving the deaf in schools, broadcast media and workplaces.

Members of the city’s deaf community wanted to affirm for a legal recognition on their fundamental human right to language, culture, participation and self-determination for all deaf citizens in the country.

“We declare that the Filipino deaf community has the right to full and effective participation and should be included in the consultation and decision-making processes regarding sign language policies and programs especially on all matters involving the deaf,” said Dizon.

“We ask the State through the Department of Education, while it has already prescribed in their Special Education policies, that Filipino Sign Language shall be the medium of instruction for deaf learners [and] this policy has yet to be carried out,” he added.

Dizon said the deaf community is calling for the government to push for barrier-free national policies that address the communication needs of the deaf people such as the establishment of a nationally mandated and coordinated sign language interpreting system.

He said every person deserves human rights regardless of sex, nationality, ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status such as disability of hearing difficulty.

“Our deaf brothers and sisters have to be fully protected against lack of recognition, acceptance and participation. Sign language is at the core of the full enjoyment of human rights for deaf people because this makes accessibility possible and accessibility guarantees participation in the affairs of society,” he said.