Dear PAO,
My 10-year-old son and I were watching the news the other day when we saw a segment about this deaf woman who was being questioned by an officer. We did not see the entire segment, so we are not sure if she was given adequate opportunity to explain herself. Do we have a medium of communication that caters for people with such disability? I want to be able to tell my son that her rights can still be protected even if the lady is deaf.
Obet
Dear Obet,
We have a law, Republic Act (RA) 11106, otherwise known as “The Filipino Sign Language Act” which promotes Filipino Sign Language as the official communication that caters to the members of the society who are deaf. This law was approved on Oct. 30, 2018. As provided under Section 3 thereof:
“Section 3. Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language. – 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 as the language of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communication depending on individual choice or preference.”
To facilitate their effective role in our legal system as well as ensure the protection of the rights of deaf individuals, it is specifically mandated under RA 11106 that there must be a qualified sign language interpreter available in all proceedings involving the deaf. Section 6 of the said law provides:
“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 choose 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 of the Katarungang Pambarangay, 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 interpreters, deaf relay interpreters, and other court personnel, police and prison staff. Support staff shall also be trained in translation from FSL to written English or Filipino. x x x”
We hope that we were able to answer your queries. …….
Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/02/25/legal-advice/filipino-sign-language/1834162