HOUSE UF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIVED
27 JUL 2016

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

REGISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2094

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by ACT Teachers Party-List
Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Deaf children break the barriers to communication by learning language
through a natural sign language in formal education. Filipino Sign Language (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. Research
shows that 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 chances of developing 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
languages.

However, 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 English. Recently, Undersecretary
Yolanda Quijano of the Department of Education declared that “Signing Exact English
(SEE) is the official sign language to be used in deaf education and training of SPED
instructors and...the method of instructions will be both oral and {written].”

The Filipino Deaf community strongly believes that this current practice is
inconsistent with previous issuances of the Department and a major violation of the
rights of Deaf persons under the 1987 Constitution and international instruments,
mainly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities


(UNCRPD, adopted on 13 December 2006 and entered into force on 3 May 2008).
Under Article 24 (3) of the UNCRPD, the Philippine government is obliged to facilitate
the learning of the official sign language, promote the linguistic and cultural identity
of the Deaf community, and ensure that Deaf education is delivered in the most
appropriate languages and modes and means of communication. Article V, Section
1.4.1 of the 1997 Policies and Guidelines in Special Education (SPED) states that
“Filipino Sign Language shall be used in the education of the [Deaf]” while
Department Order 74, series of 2009 mandates the use of the learner's first language
as the primary medium of instruction and literacy,

The exclusion of the Filipino Deaf in the educational system continues
throughout the rest of their lives and in all aspects of society—they are effectively
deprived of their rights to basic social services (especially health and medical
assistance), information and communication, access to public services and
transactions, and participation in the justice system.

This proposed measure seeks 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. It also seeks to
ensure that all executive policies are consistent with the law as abovestated.
Furthermore, with its directive to all government agencies to ensure the Filipino Deaf
access to all public transactions, services, and facilities through the use of FSL as the
medium of official communication, this bill seeks to give effect to the State’s
obligations under international law to progressively realize the rights of the Filipino
Deaf to inclusion, accessibility, expression, and access to justice, particularly through
Sections 5, 6, 7, 8,9, and 10.

This bill was unanimously approved on Third Reading during the 15" and 16"
Congresses,

For these reasons, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. ANTONIO L, TINIO Re| ReneS CASTRO
ACT Teachers Party-List ACT Teachery/Party-List



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2094

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by ACT Teachers Party-List
Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO

AN ACT
DECLARING FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE 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 SCHOOLS,
BROADCAST MEDIA, AND WORKPLACES

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as “The Filipino Sign Language Act.”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. The State shall, 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 national and local state agencies shall uphold
respect for their inherent dignity, individual autonomy, and independence by
guaranteeing accessibility and eliminating all forms of discrimination in all public
interactions and transactions, thereby ensuring their full and effective participation
and inclusion in society. The State shall also take all appropriate measures to ensure
that 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.


Section 3. Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language. The Filipino Sign
Language, hereinafter referred to as FSL, is hereby declared as the national sign
language of the Philippines. The FSL shall be recognized, promoted, and supported
as the medium of official communication in all transactions involving the deaf, and
the language of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other
forms of communication preferences,

Section 4. Filipino Sign Language in Education.

(a) Medium of Instruction and Curriculum, The Department of Education
(DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the 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 FSL as
the medium of instruction in deaf education. The FSL shall also be taught as a
separate subject in the curriculum for deaf learners, The reading and writing of
Filipino, as the national spoken language, other Philippine languages, and English
shall also be taught to deaf learners.

(b) FSL in Early Childhood Care. 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.

(c) Deaf Teachers. To promote the licensing and mobilization of deaf
teachers, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) is directed to employ
alternative assessment procedures which shall consider the conditions, abilities, and
social barriers of the deaf teachers. Said procedures shall be language-appropriate
and culturally sensitive to the needs of the deaf teachers.

In the hiring and deployment of teachers in formal and non-formal education
programs, DepEd and all other concerned national and local agencies are directed to
employ affirmative action in recruiting deaf teachers.

{d) FSL in Teacher Training Programs for Deaf Education. The FSL shall be
taught as a separate subject in the curriculum of training programs for teachers in
deaf education.

(e) Training and Evaluation Programs. To improve the quality of teachers in
deaf education, all national and local government agencies and centers providing
education services to deaf students are hereby tasked to undertake periodic training
and evaluation of their teachers. Training and evaluation shall be designed and
taught in consultation with the representatives of the Filipino deaf community.

The University of the Philippines (UP), together with the Komisyon sa Wikang
Filipino (KW), professional linguistics researchers, in collaboration with the CHED,
the DepEd, and the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council, shall
develop guidelines for the development of training materials in the education of the


deaf for use by all state universities and colleges (SUCs), as well as their teachers and
staff.

Section 5. Standards for Filipino Sign Language Interpreting. The National Council
for 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.

Section 6. Filipino Sign Language in the Justice System. 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. To ensure
effective access to justice for the Deaf on an equal basis with others and to facilitate
their effective role as direct and indirect participants in the legal system, courts,
quasi-judicial agencies, and other tribunals are hereby mandated to ensure the
availability of a qualified sign language interpreter in all proceedings involving the
deaf, without prejudice to the right of the deaf to choos other forms or modes of
communication, if they so prefer.

For purposes of this Act, “hearings, proceedings, and transactions” shall
include those in police stations and before the Lupong Tagapamayapa, as well as
preliminary investigations and other initial stages in the courts, quasi-judicial bodies,
and other tribunals.

The Supreme Court and other concerned agencies shall promote appropriate
training for those working in the administration of justice, including hearing and deaf
relay interpreters, other court personnel, and police and prison staff.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), the NCDA, the Department of the 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.

Section 7, Filipino Sign Language in All Workplaces. The FSL shall be the official
language of the Filipino deaf employed in the civil service and in all government
workplaces. For this purpose, all government offices shall take reasonable measures
to encourage the use of FSL among its deaf and hearing employees, including the
conduct of awareness and training seminars on the rationale and use of FSL.

The UP, together with the KWF, NCDA, professional linguistics organizations
and deaf linguistics researchers, shall formulate guidelines for the development of
training materials for the employees of the DOJ, the Judiciary, the Department of
Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the
Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the Council for the Welfare of Children
(CWC), and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in the conduct of the mandates
and activities of these concerned offices


Section 8. Filipino Sign Language in the Health System. State hospitals and health
centers shall take steps to ensure access of the deaf to health services, including the
free provision of FSL interpreters and other forms of communication, upon request of
deaf patients. AS part of their corporate social responsibility, private health facilities
are encouraged to provide access to health services to all deaf patients and their
family members.

Section 9. Filipino Sign Language in All Other Public Transactions, Service, and
Facilities. All national agencies including government-owned or -controlled
corporations (GOCCs), and local government units (LGUs) are hereby directed to use
FSL as the medium of official communication in all public transactions involving the
deaf. Qualified FSL interpreting and other forms of communication shall be provided
whenever necessary or requested during for a, conferences, meetings, cultural
events, sports competitions, community affairs, and activities conducted by
government agencies and GOCCs,

Section 10. Filipino Sign Language in Broadcast Media. The FSL shall be the
language of broadcast media interpreting. To guarantee access to information and
freedom of expression of the Filipino deaf, the National Telecommunications
Commission (NTC) shall, within one year from the effective date of this Act, require
FSL interpreter insets in news and public affairs programs. Subsequently, the NTC
shall take steps to promote the use of FSL in all other broadcasts and programming,
especially in educational television programs designed for children.

The NCDA and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), with the
assistance of the NTC, the deaf community, and other stakeholders, are tasked to
create a national system of standards, procedures, and accreditation for broadcast
media interpreting in FSL.

Section 11. Promotion of Filipino Sign Language. The DepEd, CHED, UP, KWF,
Linguistic Society of the Philippines, and other national agencies and LGUs shall, in
consultation with professional organizations experienced in language policy and
planning and the deaf community, take appropriate steps to propagate sign language
competency among hearing people, especially families with deaf members, by
offering FSL as an elective subject in the regular or mainstream curriculum.

SUCs are directed to undertake continuing research for the development,
propagation, and preservation of FSL.

Section 12. Instructional Materials for Schools and Child Development Centers. The
DepEd Instructional Materials Council Secretariat shall, in coordination with the
Bureau of Curriculum Development and Bureau of Learning Delivery, as well as the
ECCD Council, develop guidelines for the selection, production, procurement, and
distribution of print and video materials in FSL to all public schools and national child
development centers. Seventy-five percent of all procurement contracts shall be


reserved for deaf people’s organizations, including regional or provincial enterprises
and cooperatives run by the deaf and recognized by the LGUs.

Section 13. Implementing Rules. The Executive Director of the NCDA, in
coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Chairperson of the CHED, the
Director General of the TESDA, the Chairperson of the PRC, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, the Secretary of Justice, and the heads of other relevant agencies,
and in consultation with representatives of the deaf community, teachers with
knowledge and experience with the use of FSL in deaf education, the academe,
interpreters, and other persons concerned, shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within one hundred eighty
days after its effective date. These rules and regulations shall be published in
accessible formats in the respective websites of these agencies and through other
means necessary.

Section 14. Monitoring of the Implementation of this Act. The NCDA, in
collaboration with representatives of the deaf community, is hereby tasked to
convene an Inter-Agency Committee including the CHR, the CWC, the PCW,
individuals and institutions with knowledge and experience on FSL and its use, to
make an annual assessment of the implementation of this Act. The report of this
Inter-Agency Committee shall be transmitted annually to the House Committee on
Social Services and the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and
Development and shall be published in accessible formats in the respective websites
of the concerned agencies and through other means necessary.

Section 15. Appropriations. The initial funding of this Act shall be taken from the
current year’s appropriations of the concerned agencies. Thereafter, the amount
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

Section 16. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall
remain in full force and effect.

Section 17. Repealing Clause. A\| laws, decrees, letters of instruction, executive
issuances, resolutions, orders, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

Section 17. Effective Date. This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or one newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,