EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 1709
DA Tc; JjJiy,.2.! 29^P,. iT
INTRODUCED BY: SENATOR EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO
AN ACT TO ENCOURAGE AND FURTHER DEVELOP THE USE OF 
FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE IN SUPPORT OF MITIGATION MEASURES 
AGAINST THE SPREAD OF CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution directs the State to protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Article XIII, 
Section 11 of the Constitution moreover mandates the State to adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development.
The continuing serious effects in the Philippines of the worldwide pandemic caused 
by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus that is known for short as “Covid-19” confirms that 
contagious illnesses can spread in a rapid pace and elucidates how the disease-causing 
microbes are commonly transferred.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the health departments of the world’s states, 
and epidemic and new disease research institutions here and abroad, including our own 
Department of Health and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, as well as Philippine 
academic institutions, are presently rushing significant studies of the disease.


These centers of health concerns commonly recognize that the virus causing the 
Covid-19 disease spreads through body fluids discharged by an infected person that 
subsequently get into the body system of a new host person. The general public has now been 
made to understand and it is increasingly being accepted that the common vehicles of transfer 
of the disease are almost invisible droplets of saliva or mucus that are discharged when a 
virus-carrying person coughs, sneezes, or simply talks verbally. Now, scientists are 
increasingly reporting that the virus lingers in the air or is carried possibly even by aerosols 
for some time and for distances of up to six feet and sometimes more, or it settles and is 
maintained for even longer times on various surfaces.
The danger of such a contagious disease is worsened when, like the Covid-19, it can 
possibly be transferred by a carrier that is asymptomatic, or one who does not show the 
symptoms of the disease. The unknowing carrier then spreads the disease by simple 
conversation or regular interaction with other people in the community.
The whole world is now witness to the gravity of the adverse effects of an epidemic, 
or even worse, a pandemic such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Health and allied health 
institutions and their workers are swamped to capacity and overworked with sick persons to 
treat. Deaths are reported daily in substantial and shocking numbers. Communities and 
families are quarantined, sometimes with necessary force, within the boundaries of localities 
and families within their abodes. Businesses can be closed and may only be gradually 
reopened and expectedly with great losses. The economies of nations are seriously 
endangered. Worst of all, these scenarios are accepted to continue until scientists find a cure 
or vaccine to control the disease and until governments find recovery solutions to the 
detrimental effects.
It is now accepted that the Covid-19 disease will have to be managed in communities 
for some time until it comes under control and in order that a deadly resurgence of the disease 
will be obviated. The entire world also now gets a new lesson that future microbes can cause 
similar contagions.
There is therefore an urgent need to institute measures that will allow and support the 
safe interaction of people and the conduct of business establishments and their transactions.


focused on complementing and enhancing other mitigation measures against the spread of 
Covid-19 and other viruses and microbes that may cause future contagious diseases.
This bill will seek to encourage and further develop the use of Filipino Sign Language 
that can be used during an epidemic to minimize the spread of the contagion and even other 
diseases by lessening or avoiding the danger of discharged body fluids and mucus that 
accompanies verbalized conversation and are carried in the air or through aerosols.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session
SENATE
S.B. No. 1709
INTRODUCED BY: SENATOR EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO
FILED
DATE
TH.lt
AN ACT TO ENCOURAGE AND FURTHER DEVELOP THE USE OF 
FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE IN SUPPORT OF MITIGATION MEASURES 
AGAINST THE SPREAD OF CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as "New Normal Sign Language Act."
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Thus, it shall adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development.
The continuing serious effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippines shows that 
there is an urgent need for measures that will define a new normal for the behavior and safe
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interaction of people, and for the resumption of transactions of businesses and management of
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the limited gatherings of individuals, in order to stem the spread of the Covid-19 disease and
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mitigate its effects in the country, as well as control other possible future contagious illnesses
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from spreading in a manner like the Covid-19 disease.


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There is a recognized need for a measure that will allow and support the safe interaction
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of people and the conduct of business establishments and their transactions, such as the
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encouragement and further development of the use of Filipino Sign Language that can be used
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during an epidemic to minimize the spread of the contagion and even other diseases by lessening
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or avoiding the danger of discharged body fluids and mucus that accompanies verbalized
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conversation and are carried in the air or through aerosols.
Section 3. Development of TESDA Filipino Sign Language Modules. — The Technical 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in consultation with non-govermnent
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organizations presently teaching the recognized Filipino Sign Language that is already being
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used by tens of thousands of verbally challenged individuals in the country and that follows the
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local conversational word order, shall develop, regularly update, and offer skills development
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modules for the use of Filipino Sign Language appropriate for different purposes, such as, for
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daily conversation, for ordinary commercial transactions, for more complicated business and
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technical activities, and for trainors thereof.
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Section 4. LGU Dissemination of the TESDA Filipino Sign Language Modules. - The
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TESDA, in coordination with the various local govermnent units, shall promote the TESDA sign
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language modules among the residents of the localities in order to enhance wider use of the sign
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language and increase the numbers of trainors thereof.


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Section 5. Online Introduction of the TESDA Filipino Sign Language Modules. - To 
enhance further interest in the TESDA sign language modules, the TESDA, in coordination with 
the Department of Information and Communications Technology, shall develop online material 
to introduce and promote the said TESDA Filipino Sign Language modules that are being 
offered by the TESDA,
Section 6. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
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otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereof,
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Section 7, Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in at
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least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,
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Approved,