Filipino Sign Language Classes for the 2nd term, 2011

(Video courtesy of Jay Sunico)


The School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) would like to encourage you, your family, relatives and friends to enroll inFilipino Sign Language (FSL) classes and learn to communicate with Deaf people. Classes are offered every term and special classes can be arranged for groups with at least 15 participants.

	Date	Time	Venue
Registration Period	August 22 toSept. 24, 2011	11:00 am-5:00 pm	FSLLP Booth (near the PEN-MLC, G/F, Duerr Hall, Taft Campus)
FSL Orientation Seminar (Required for new students)	September 24, 2011	9:00 am-10:30am	Pen – Multimedia Learning Center (Pen-MLC)
Start of Classes	Week of Sept. 26, 2011

FSL classes Levels 1, 2, and 3 provide students with basic competency for sign language communication. The program also includes Visual-Gestural workshops and community involvement activities which help students arrive at a greater understanding and appreciation of the Deaf’s unique language and culture.

FSL Class Schedules available for 2^nd Term SY 2011-12:

 FSL1 CLASSES

W/F 1:00pm – 2:30pm	Saturday 9:00am – 12:00pm
T/TH 6:00pm – 7:30pm	Saturday 1:00pm – 4:00pm

FSL2 CLASSES

W/F 1:00pm – 2:30pm	Saturday 9:00pm – 12:00nn
T/TH 6:00pm – 7:30pm	Saturday 1:00pm – 4:00pm

FSL3 CLASSES

W/F 1:00pm – 2:30pm	Saturday 9:00am – 12:00pm
T/TH 6:00pm – 7:30pm	Saturday 1:00pm – 4:00pm

For inquiries: Call 526 7441 loc 131. Email def.studies@benilde.edu.ph.

FSL Enrollment Fees

Registration fee for Level 1 students is PhP 2,400.00 (which includes PhP 2,200.00 registration fee and P 200 workshop fee.)

Those without CSB ID must add a one-time ID fee of PhP 535

 For Levels 2 and 3, the fee is PhP 2,200.00.

• All fees must be paid on or before start of FSL classes at the CSB Accounting Office.
• Fees are non-transferable, non-refundable (after a certain period) and should be paid in full amount.
• Fees shall only be deferred/refunded if the request is made in writing to the Academic Chairperson BEFORE THE END OF THE 2nd WEEK OF CLASSES.

Conditions for deferment of fees:

90% if one defers before the start of the session
75% if within the 1st week of the session
50% if within the 2nd week of the session
NO DEFERMENT/REFUND SHALL BE ALLOWED THEREAFTER.

DISCOUNTS FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY/ ACADEMIC SERVICE PERSONNEL of  DLS_CSB

Length of Service                     Subsidy of Fees


1 to 6 Terms                                   30%

7 to 9 Terms                                   60%

10 above Terms or                        100%
more

Requirements for a ailment of subsidy:

1). Make a letter in recommendation signed by the dean from your office.

2). Recommendation letter to submit to person from the CLCIR office and
Approval for your scholarship form by the director.

3). After your approval, you get your scholarship form and give it to  FSLLP.

The FSL orientation

Attendance to  the FSL Orientation and Deaf World Activity are pre-requisite to enrollment. These are usually done in the first week of the classes.

Your certificate of attendance for the FSL classes will not be issued unless you complete these requirements.

Please  submit your Official Receipt and one 1X1 ID picture on or before the FSL Orientation . Once classes start, we need these requirements and for our files.

How to Enroll for the Filipino Sign Language Classes

 Registration Procedure:

a.) Get and fill up a Payment Form from the SDEAS-FSLLP (at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Taft campus) office (B- 104) or FSLLP Booth (near PEN-Multimedia Learning Center).

b.) Pay the amount of PhP 2, 400 + PhP 535 ID Fee (for new students without CSB/DLSU ID) at the CSB Accounting Office, on or before scheduled first day of FSL classes.

c.) Present the Official Receipt to any of the FSLLP faculty (Mr. Ferdie or Ms.Ana), then fill out and submit your Student Enlistment Form. FSLLP office is in the 5th floor or you may leave it with Ms Jackie at the SDEAS office at the back gate mezzanine. 

d.) Attend your class and the orientation.

Note: Enrollees are only allowed to change their class schedule within one (1) week upon registration.

Report: 15 Percent Worldwide Have Disabilities

Reposted from  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/living/

More than 1 billion people around the world live with disabilities, according to a new report offering the first look in 40 years at the global prevalence of disabilities.

The findings presented Thursday come from a report produced by the
 World Health Organization and the World Bank. It shows that about 15 percent of the
 world’s population have disabilities and that number is on the rise due to aging and growth in 
chronic health conditions.

What’s more, of those living with disabilities, between 110 and 190 million 
are believed to experience significant functioning difficulties.

Disabilities are more common in poor countries and among women,
older individuals and people living in low-income households, the report found.

“Across the world, people with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, 
lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher 
rates of poverty than people without disabilities,” leaders of the
 World Health Organization and the World Bank wrote in a preface to the
 report. “This is partly because people with disabilities experience barriers 
in accessing services that many of us have long taken for granted, 
including health, education, employment and transport as well as information.
 These difficulties are exacerbated in less advantaged communities.”

The report does not break out developmental disabilities specifically, but gives 
perspective on the impact of everything from intellectual disability, mental health
 issues and blindness to conditions like cancer and heart disease.

However, the data indicates that those with physical disabilities are largely faring 
better than individuals with intellectual impairments in school and work environments.

Few countries have the infrastructure in place to meet the challenges faced
 by those with disabilities, the report found. In a series of recommendations 
to governments and other organizations, those behind the research suggest 
enhancing inclusion to the greatest extent throughout society, among other measures.

“Disability is part of the human condition,” says Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general 
of the World Health Organization. “We must do more to break the barriers
 which segregate people with disabilities, in many cases forcing them to the 
margins of society.”

MORE IN LIVING »

Copyright © 2011 Disability Scoop, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

World Report on Disability

A landmark report on disability worldwide indicates that there are over one billion people with significant difficulties in functioning, who are facing substantial barriers in their daily lives.

Jointly published by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, this World Report on Disability launched at the UN in New York on 9th June 2011, is the first ever global report on disability. It indicates that the global prevalence of disability is higher than the 10% estimated in the 1970s, at around 15%. This Report contains chapters on health, rehabilitation, assistance and support, enabling environments, education and employment. It also covers the barriers persons with disabilities face such as stigma and discrimination, inaccessible transport and buildings, communications and information technologies, lack of adequate health care and often appropriate rehabilitation services.

The Report also makes recommendations for action to support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly in December 2006, and which protects the rights and dignity of persons with impairments, and which has been signed by nearly 150 countries and regional organisations, and has more than 100 ratifications.

People with disabilities were involved in all stages of the production of this Report between 2007 and 2011, such as helping with its editing, reviewing, advising and drafting text. Some of them shared their personal stories, parts of which are included in the Report. Disabled People’s Organisations were consulted at the global level.
The collaboration of others involved in disability, rehabilitation and mainstreaming initiatives, included the International Disability and Development Consortium, of which ILEP is a member.

Link: World Report on Disability
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240685215_eng.pdf(3.34 MB)

• The World Health Organization will be holding a Meeting of Partners Working in Disability and Rehabilitation in Geneva, 27th – 28th June 2011, among others to discuss implementing the World Report on Disability and related Guidelines over the next ten years.

From the UN and WHO Press Centres:

More than one billion people face some form of disability, landmark UN report finds:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=38666&Cr=disability&Cr1=

New world report shows more than 1 billion people with disabilities face substantial barriers in their daily lives
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2011/disabilities_20110609/en/index.html

Of further interest:

History of Disability and the United Nations
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=121

The United Nations and Disabled Persons: The First 50 Years
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/dis50y00.htm

Official website for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: http://www.un.org/disabilities/

What's in a Name?

HOUSE BILL No. 4631

Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4631

______________________________________________________________________________

Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIÑO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, ANTONIO L. TINIO and EMMI A. DE JESUS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For most people, the importance of communication is usually taken for granted. But for individuals constrained by hearing or faced with audiological impairment, the insufficiency of communication systems and the lack of support can cause great injustice and disparity.

For instance, data from the Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC) show that one out of three deaf women is a victim of rape while 65 to 70% of deaf children are molested. Of the 82 cases they monitored, 67% of deaf complainants lodged rape complaints while 32% of deaf respondents were accused of theft.

With the high incidence of criminal cases involving deaf persons, there is an unquestionable need for interpreters during investigative and judicial proceedings. Unfortunately, the current system does not have a clear procedure for such. Oftentimes, the deaf individual is left to find and pay a suitable interpreter. Without a proper system, finding an interpreter may also delay proceedings.

The proposed bill addresses all of these problems. It is the responsibility of the State to provide for interpreters during any government proceeding, be it for police investigations, court or public hearings. Hired interpreters are also entitled to sufficient payment and rest.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval thereof is highly recommended.

Approved,

TEDDY A. CASIÑO NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

Bayan Muna Party-list Bayan Muna Party-list

LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN RAFAEL V. MARIANO

Gabriela Women’s Party Anakpawis Party-list

RAYMOND V. PALATINO ANTONIO L. TINIO
Kabataan Party-list ACT Teachers Party-list

EMMI A. DE JESUS

Gabriela Women’s Party

Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4631

______________________________________________________________________________

Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIÑO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, ANTONIO L. TINIO and EMMI A. DE JESUS

AN ACT

PROVIDING FOR INTERPRETERS in all judicial,

quasi-judicial, investigative proceedings AND PUBLIC HEARINGS

involving DEAF individuals

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 the “Court Interpreters for Persons with Disabilities Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall give full support to the integration of persons with disabilities into mainstream society and “exert all efforts to remove all social, cultural, economic, environmental and attitudinal barriers that are prejudicial” to them, pursuant of Republic Act No. 7277 or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.” It is also a declared policy of the State that all persons shall be given equal opportunity, due process and speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.

SECTION 3. Definition. For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

a. Person with disabilities – a person who has a restriction or limitation in personal mobility, communications, development and others resulting from the interaction between person with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders his/her full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others;

b. Disability – an activity limitation or restriction as a result of the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others;

c. Impairment - any loss, diminution or aberration of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function;

d. deaf- means a person who has an audiological impairment that makes him / her unable to hear, or experience difficulty in hearing. Deaf in uppercase D specifically refers to a person who uses the visual language of the community as his /her primary means of communication in daily life, and supports its goals and values as a linguistic and cultural minority. This Act primarily refers to individuals who acquired hearing loss in the early years of life, and not Senior Citizens;

f. Hard of hearing - means a person who can understand words only if spoken very loud or close to the ear and has severe difficulties if there are other sources of noise. People who are hard of hearing include those who can be helped with a hearing aid;

g. Linguistically isolated deaf - a deaf individual who has extremely poor overall communication skills. This individual usually has had minimal or no schooling and uses only home signs or gestures (i.e., uses signs different from the signs commonly used in the community); and, has extremely limited vocabulary and fingerspelling skills;

h. Deaf interpreter or Deaf relay interpreter - an interpreter who is deaf and relays information between a linguistically isolated deaf client and a hearing interpreter;

i. Consecutive interpreting - process of interpreting wherein the interpreter transmits information into the target language after the speaker / signer pauses upon completing one or more ideas from the source language;

j. Simultaneous interpreting - process of interpreting into the target language at the same time the source language is being delivered;

k. Manual communication – various forms of visual-spatial communication utilizing the hands, face and body. For the Philippines, this includes: the natural sign language, Filipino Sign Language; Manually Coded English systems, and nonstandard gestures.

SECTION 4. Hiring of interpreters. – All courts, quasi-judicial bodies, agencies and government institutions conducting investigations and public hearings shall hire interpreters for proceedings involving individuals ascertained to be deaf through accepted clinical standards and procedures. However, a deaf individual may waive the right to an interpreter. The concerned body that hired the services of the interpreter shall provide the budget for the prompt payment of interpreters which shall be on a per appearance basis, including travel, board/lodging as well as other expenses before the case is filed in court.

SECTION 5. Qualifications of interpreters. – Until an official and national testing mechanism and certification procedure is developed for interpreters and recognized by the government, a qualified interpreter shall be selected on the basis of the following:

a. Endorsement under oath by registered deaf organizations / federation that the interpreter has interpreting experience of at least four (4) years (for hearing interpreters), or one (1) year (for deaf interpreters);

b. Empirical demonstration of his/her language competencies and interpreting ability.

Supplementary documentation on language competency and interpretation ability of hearing interpreters includes interpreter training, work-related interpreting experience, sign language instruction and relationship to Deaf family members.

Selection of the appropriate qualified interpreter(s) should be based on language competency which matches that of the deaf client.

A person related within the third degree of affinity or consanguinity to any of the parties, witnesses, and other participants of the case cannot be appointed as the interpreter.

Deaf counselors who have previously worked with the deaf or the hard of hearing party, witness, or participant cannot be appointed as interpreter for the case.

SECTION 6. Guidelines. – To protect the rights of the deaf individual and the interpreter/s, the following guidelines shall be observed:

a. Appointed interpreters provide a service equally to the deaf clients and the hearing members of the court. Thus they shall interpret the entire proceeding and not only the testimony of the deaf party. For cases of sexual abuse, the interpreter/s should be the same gender as the offended party. Accommodations should be procedurally and age-appropriate, and also gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory;

b. For linguistically isolated deaf, the court shall appoint a hearing interpreter and a Deaf relay interpreter;

c. To address interpreting fatigue, the interpreter must be given adequate rest after 30 minutes of continuous interpreting, according to medically accepted standards for the prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury;

d. All interpreters are bound by the common duty to observe confidentiality and neutrality before, during, and after the proceedings;

e. In cases where there is more than one deaf party, witness or participant, and these deaf individuals have been ascertained to have different communication and interpreting needs, then separate interpreters with the required skills shall be appointed;

f. Consecutive interpreting shall be used when the deaf is linguistically isolated, or in other situations when this would be more effective than simultaneous interpreting;

g. Interpreting should also be provided during the administration of justice by police and prison staff.

SECTION 7. Orientation of Interpreters. – Qualified interpreters shall be trained in ethical responsibilities, terms and legal concepts under a program to be established by the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice, in partnership with groups such as the Philippine Federation of the Deaf.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Council on Disability Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court and other concerned government bodies and shall work together, in coordination with non-government organizations and schools concerned with the deaf and Deaf interpreting, and promulgate and issue the rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 9. Constitutionality. – Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions, orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,