House approves 3rd reading bill declaring Filipino Sign Language (FSL) as national sign language of the Filipino deaf

The House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading on Monday a proposal to declare the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) as the national sign language of the Filipino deaf and the official language of government in all transactions involving the deaf, and mandating its use in all public schools, broadcast media, and workplaces.

Voting 189-0, the Houser passed House Bill 6428, principally authored by Rep. Antonio L. Tinio (Party-list, ACT Teachers). It was endorsed for plenary approval by the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Isidro T. Ungab (3rd District, Davao City) and Committee on Social Services chaired by Rep. Arturo B. Robes (Lone District, San Jose del Monte City).

Tinio said the bill aims to realize the rights of the Filipino deaf to full and equal participation in society by enabling the acquisition of life and social development skills through the use of FSL as the language of instruction in an environment which respects their identity and distinct capabilities.

“Deaf children break the barriers to communication by learning language through a natural sign language in formal education. The FSL, a natural sign language indigenous to the Filipino deaf community, has its own grammar and linguistic structure. FSL is learned without effort from interactions of Filipino deaf children with other deaf children and the deaf community,” said Tinio, an Assistant Minority Leader.

Based on research, Tinio said the exposure to native users of FSL facilitates the learning of the Filipino deaf. “They develop language and acquire conversational skills easily. Deaf children are proven to have increased the chances of self-esteem and higher competencies for college and employment if the primary medium of instruction is their first language (a visual language), which can then be used as a bridge to other language,” said Tinio.

However, Tinio said Philippine schools at the primary and secondary levels have mainly used the Signing in Exact English (SEE) /and or Sign Supported Speech which are artificial sign systems based on oral and written language.

House Bill 6428, or the proposed “The Filipino Sign Language Act,” provides the State, in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities.

The State shall also take all appropriate measures to ensure the Filipino deaf can exercise the right to expression and opinion. Accordingly, the State recognizes and promotes the use of sign languages embodying the specific cultural and linguistic identity of the Filipino deaf.

The measure declares the FSL as the national sign language of the Philippines. The FSL shall be recognized, promoted, and supported as the medium of official communication in all

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transactions involving the deaf, and the language of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communication preferences.

The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and all other national and local government agencies involved in the education of the deaf, are tasked to henceforth use the FSL as the medium of instruction in deaf education. FSL shall be taught as a separate subject in the curriculum of all public schools.

Private schools shall ensure access to FSL materials or individualized instruction on FSL, if requested. The reading and writing of Filipino as the national spoken language, other Philippine dialects, and English shall also be taught to deaf learners.

All early childhood care and development programs provided by the government shall enable age-adequate FSL acquisition to pre-school age deaf children and their families.

To promote the licensing and mobilization of the service of deaf teachers, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) shall employ alternative assessment procedures, which shall consider the conditions, abilities, social barriers of the deaf teachers.

The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), with the involvement of the deaf community and other stakeholders, shall establish a national system of standards, accreditation and procedures for FSL interpreting.

The FSL shall be the official language of legal interpreting for the deaf in all public hearings, proceedings, and transactions of the courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and other tribunals.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), NCDA, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Judiciary, with the involvement of the deaf community and other stakeholders, are tasked to create a national system of standards, accreditation and procedures for legal interpreting in FSL.

Moreover, the FSL shall be the official language of: the Filipino deaf who are employed in the public and in all government offices; of deaf patients in state hospitals and health centers; and of the deaf in all public transactions in national government agencies and local government units (LGUs). The FSL shall also be the language of broadcast media interpreting.

The bill is co-authored by Reps. Neri J. Colmenares, Luzviminda C. Ilagan, Fernando L. Hicap, Carlos Isagani T. Zarate, Emmi A. De Jesus, Terry L. Ridon, Cresente M. Paez and Scott Davies S. Lanete, M.D. (30) rbb