SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2118 
Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV 
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 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Have you ever had a dream where you were screaming for help and nobody 
could hear you? 
For the over half a million members' of the Filipino Deaf community, scenarios 
like this are not just a dream or a nightmare-they are part of their everyday reality. 
Because much of society does not naturally understand the culture of the Filipino Deaf, 
or are equipped to do so, many Deaf individuals are left without proper communication 
or access to information. 
Worse, because of this large communication gap, Deaf individuals have become 
more vulnerable to abuse. According to data shared by the Cebu-based non-
government organization Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc., up to 70 percent 
of Deaf boys and girls "are being molested"2, while 63 percent are being "abused by 
their own fathers."3 Their data also shows that one out of three Deaf women has been 
raped.4 
In order to build a safer and more inclusive society for the Filipino Deaf 
community, government, civil society, academe, and the private sector must work 
together to give Deaf individuals access to communication, information, and tools that 
are necessary to lead productive lives. Thus, this representation appeals for the urgent 
passage of the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Act of 2014, which shall declare Filipino Sign 
Language as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf and the official language of , 
the Philippine government in all transactions with the Deaf, and which shall likewise 
mandate the use of FSL in schools, workplaces, and broadcast media. 
1 Based on 2009 estimates by the National Statistical Office (NSO), sourced from a presentation by the 
Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc, February 2014. 
2 Data from the Philippine Deaf Resource Center, sourced from a presentation by the Gualandi Volunteer 
Service Programme, Inc, February 2014. 
3 De Guzman, 2002, sourced from a presentation by the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc, 
February 2014. 
4 Lyer and Fortunato, 2005, sourced from a presentation by the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, 
Inc, February 2014. 


" 
Such a language would not only produce highly successful learners, it would also respect 
the Filipino Deaf community's rights to identity, access to education, and direct 
communication, among others. 
Moreover, this Act provides for FSL to be the medium of official communication in 
all transactions involving the Deaf and the language of instruction of Deaf education. It 
shall also 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, 
as well as in all public and private workplaces, and in all other public transactions, 
services, and facilities. 
To make information more accessible in broadcast media, this Act also requires 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. 
Under this proposed Act, 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. Likewise, the 
Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and other 
national and local agencies shall take appropriate steps to propagate sign language competency 
among hearing people, by offering FSL as an optional language subject in the regular or 
mainstream curriculum, among others. 
We fervently believe that a humane, just, and inclusive society protects the vulnerable, 
integrates the marginalized, breaks down the barriers of discrimination, and gives equal access 
to opportunity for every Filipino. Mandating and promoting the use of FSL, we believe, is a step 
toward social justice for the Filipino Deaf community. 
In view ofthe foregoing, the approval ofthis bill is earnestly sought. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2118 
Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV 
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: 
,1 
Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as "The Filipino Sign Language Act of 
.2 
2014" 
3 
Section 2. Dec/aration of Policy. The State shall promote, protect, and ensure the 
A 
full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of 
5 
persons with disabilities. Thus, national and local state agencies shall uphold 
6 
respect for their inherent dignity, individual autonomy, and independence by 
. 7 
guaranteeing accessibility and eliminating all forms of discrimination in all public 
8 
interactions 
and 
transactions, 
thereby ensuring their full 
and 
effective 
9 
participation and inclusion in society. 
10 
The State shall also take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Filipino 
11 
Deaf can exercise the right to expression and opinion. Accordingly, the State 
12 
recognizes an~ promotes the use of sign languages embodying the specific 
13 
cultural and linguistic identity of the Filipino Deaf. Filipino Deaf children can 
14 
learn best and most comfortably and effectively in an environment that 
15 
recognizes and respects who they are, one that uses their native first 
16 
language-a true visual language, which is a system historically and distinctively 
17 
their own. Such a language would not only produce highly successful learners 
18 
but would also respect their rights to identity, access to education, and direct 
19 
communication, among others. 
20 
Section 3. Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language of the Filipino 
21 
Deaf. Filipino Sign Language, hereinafter referred to as FSL, is hereby declared as 


1 
the national sign language of the Philippines. As such, it shall be used as the 
2 
medium of official communication in all transactions involving the Deaf and the 
3 
language of instruction of Deaf education. 
'4 
Section 4. Filipino Sign Language in Education. 
5 
a. Medium of Instruction and Curriculum. The Department of Education 
6 
(DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education 
7 
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and all other national and 
.8 
local government agencies involved in the education of the Deaf, are 
.9 
tasked to henceforth use FSL as the medium of instruction in Deaf 
10 
education. The FSL shall also be taught a separate subject in the 
11 
curriculum for Deaf learners. The reading and writing of Filipino, as the 
12 
national spoken language, other Philippine languages, and English shall 
13 
also be taught to Deaf learners. 
14 
b. FSL in Early Childhood Care. All early childhood care and development 
1.5 
programs provided by the government shall enable age-adequate FSL 
1.6 
acquisition to pre-school age Deaf children and their families. 
1-7 
c. Deaf Teachers. To promote the licensing of Deaf teachers who use 
18 
FSL, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRe) is directed to 
19 
employ affirmative action measures by administering alternative 
20 
assessment procedures which shall consider the conditions and 
21 
abilities of the Deaf and be language-appropriate and culture-fair to 
22 
Deaf education graduates. 
23 
In the hiring and deployment of teachers in formal and non-formal 
24 
education programs, DepEd and all other concerned national and local 
25 
agencies are directed to employ affirmative action in recruiting Deaf 
26 
persons who use FSL. 
27 
d. FSL in Teacher Training Programs for Deaf Education. FSL shall be included 
28 
as a separate subject in the curriculum of training programs for teachers in 
29 
Deaf education. 
30 
e. Training and Evaluation Programs. To improve the quality of teachers 
31 
in Deaf education, all national and local government agencies, 
32 
centers, and programs providing education to Deaf students, are 
33 
hereby tasked to institute periodic training and evaluation programs 
34 
for their teachers. Training and evaluation shall be designed and 
35 
taught in consultation with the representatives of the Filipino Deaf 
36 
community. 


1 
Section 5. Standards for Filipino Sign Language Interpreting. The National 
2 
Council for Disability Affairs (NCDA), with the involvement of the Deaf 
3 
community and other stakeholders, shall, establish a national system of 
4 
standards, accreditation, and procedures for FSL interpreting. 
5 
Section 6. Filipino Sign Language in Courts, Quasi-Judicial Agencies, and Other 
'6 
Tribunals. FSL shall be the official language of legal interpreting for the Deaf in all 
7 
public hearings, proceedings, and transactions of the courts, quasi-judicial 
8 
agencies, and other tribunals, To ensure effective access to justice for the Deaf on 
,9 
an equal basis with others and to facilitate their effective role as direct and 
10 
indirect participants in the legal system, courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and other 
n 
tribunals are hereby mandated to ensure the availability of FSL interpreting in all 
12 
proceedings involving the Deaf. 
13, 
For purposes of this Act, "hearings, proceedings, and transactions" shall include 
14 
those in police stations and the Lupong Tagapamayapa, as well as preliminary 
15 
investigations and other initial stages in the courts, quasi-judicial bodies, and 
16 
other tribunals. 
17 
The Supreme Court and other concerned agencies shall promote appropriate 
18 
training for those working in the administration of justice, including hearing 
19 
and Deaf relay interpreters, and other court personnel, and police and prison 
20 
staff. 
21 
The NCDA, the Department of Justice, and the Judiciary, with the involvement 
22 
of the Deaf community and other stakeholders, are tasked to create a 
23 
national system of standards, accreditation, and procedures for legal 
24 
interpreting in FSL. 
25 
Section 7. Filipino Sign Language in All Workplaces. FSL shall be the official language of 
26 
the Filipino Deaf employed in the public and private service. For this purpose, every 
27 
government office shall take all reasonable measures that would encourage the use of 
28 
FSL among its Deaf and hearing employees, including the conduct of awareness and 
29 
training seminars on the rationale and use of FSL: 
30 
Section 8. Filipino Sign Language in the Public Health System. State hospitals and 
31 
health centers shall take steps to ensure access of the Filipino Deaf to health services, 
32 
induding the free provision of FSL interpreters for Deaf patients. 
33 
Section 9. Filipino Sign Language in All Other Public Transactions, Services, and 
34 
Facilities. As the medium of official communication, all national and local 
35 
government agencies are hereby directed to use FSL in all public transactions 
;36 
involving the Deaf. FSL interpreting shall be provided whenever necessary or 
37 
requested in all government offices and during forums, conferences, meetings, 


, 1 
cultural events, sports competitions, community affairs, and activities conducted 
.2 
by government agencies. 
3 
Section 10. Filipino Sign Language in Broadcast Media. FSL shall be the official 
4 
language of broadcast media interpreting. To guarantee access to information 
.5 
and freedom of expression of the Filipino Deaf, the National Telecommunications 
6 
Commission (NTC) shall, within a reasonable period upon the effective date of 
7 
this Act, require FSL interpreter insets in news and public affairs programs. 
8 
Subsequently, the NTC shall take steps to promote the use of FSL in all other 
:9 
broadcasts and programming. 
10 
The NTC, in consultation with the NCDA, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng 
11 
Pilipinas, the Deaf community, and other stakeholders, is tasked to create a 
12 
national system of standards, procedures and accreditation for broadcast 
13 
media interpreting in FSL. 
14 
Section 11. Promotion of FSL. The DepEd, CHED, and other national and local agencies 
15 
shall take appropriate steps to propagate sign language competency among hearing 
16 
people, by offering FSL as an optional language subject in the regular or mainstream 
17 
curriculum, among others. 
18 
State universities and colleges are directed to undertake continuing research for the 
19 
development, propagation, and preservation of FSL. 
20 
Section 12. Implementing Rules. The DepEd, CHED, TESDA, PRC, NCDA, Supreme 
21 
Court, DOl, and other relevant agencies shall, within 30 days after its effective 
22 
date, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations. For this purpose, these 
23 
agencies shall involve representatives of the Deaf community, teachers with 
24 
knowledge and experience in the use of FSL in Deaf education, the academe, 
25 
and other persons concerned. These rules and regulations shall likewise be 
26 
published in accessible formats in their respective websites and through other 
27 
means necessary. 
28 
Section 13. Monitoring of the Implementation 0/ this Act. The NCDA, in 
29 
collaboration with representatives of the Deaf community, is hereby tasked to 
30 
convene an Inter-Agency Committee including individuals and institutions with 
31 
knowledge and experience on FSL and its use, to make an annual assessment of 
.32 
the implementation of this Act. The report of this Inter-Agency Committee shall 
33 
be transmitted annually to the Hous'e Committee on Basic Education and Culture 
34 
and Senate Committee on Education, Arts, and Culture and published in 
35 
accessible formats in their respective websites and through other means 
;36 
necessary, 


1 
Section 14. Appropriations. Implementation of this Act shall derive its funding 
2 
from the 1% appropriations for Persons with Disabilities as provided in the 
3 
General Appropriations Act. 
4 
Section is. Repl1aling Clause. All laws and executive issuances inconsistent with the 
5 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
6 
Section 16. Separability Clause. 
If any provision of this Act 
is 
declared 
7 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectiveness of its other 
8 
provisions. 
9 
Section 17. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the 
10 
Official Gazette or one newspaper of general circulation. 
11 
Approved,