Filipino Sign Language
To all colleagues, co-advocates, supporters and friends -
House Bill 6079 has been filed In Congress this year proposing to declare Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language and to be used in all language domains in the classroom, workplace, health facilities, courts and mass media. It shall be a landmark legislation as it addresses comprehensively the exclusion and discrimination that the Filipino Deaf community has experienced over the entire century in access to information and communication. At the House Committee hearing held last Oct. 16, 2012, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (SPED) HAS STATED THAT IT IS OPPOSING THE BILL. *(Note that it has been in SPED Policy since 1997 that Filipino Sign Language is to be the medium of instruction for deaf students)
Participation by the Philippine Federation of the Deaf in the public Committee hearings on the Bill have been hampered by poor communications notice, and lack of official interpreting service. The Deaf community is invoking the RIGHT TO LANGUAGE AND CULTURE and calling on the government to honor its international commitment to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Salamanca Statement & Framework for Action on Special Needs Education; and also existing DepEd policy on the use of FSL.
We are in the process of planning some action steps prior to the House Committee Technical Working Group Meeting on Nov. 5 and shall advise in our next email how you can concretely support us.
In the meantime, please forward this email to all individuals, organizations and networks who support the HUMAN RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
*Attached is a PDF copy of HB 6079, and the position of this organization on the matter.
Thank you very much for your support.
Liza B. Martinez, Ph.D.
Director
Philippine Deaf Resource Center
27 K-7 St.
West Kamias, Q.C. 1102 Philippines
Tel 632.9941441; 632.9218521
Mobile 0927.5288662
Skype phildeafres
www.phildeafres.org / pdrc@phildeafres.org
House Bill 6079 has been filed In Congress this year proposing to declare Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language and to be used in all language domains in the classroom, workplace, health facilities, courts and mass media. It shall be a landmark legislation as it addresses comprehensively the exclusion and discrimination that the Filipino Deaf community has experienced over the entire century in access to information and communication. At the House Committee hearing held last Oct. 16, 2012, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (SPED) HAS STATED THAT IT IS OPPOSING THE BILL. *(Note that it has been in SPED Policy since 1997 that Filipino Sign Language is to be the medium of instruction for deaf students)
Participation by the Philippine Federation of the Deaf in the public Committee hearings on the Bill have been hampered by poor communications notice, and lack of official interpreting service. The Deaf community is invoking the RIGHT TO LANGUAGE AND CULTURE and calling on the government to honor its international commitment to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Salamanca Statement & Framework for Action on Special Needs Education; and also existing DepEd policy on the use of FSL.
We are in the process of planning some action steps prior to the House Committee Technical Working Group Meeting on Nov. 5 and shall advise in our next email how you can concretely support us.
In the meantime, please forward this email to all individuals, organizations and networks who support the HUMAN RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
*Attached is a PDF copy of HB 6079, and the position of this organization on the matter.
Thank you very much for your support.
Liza B. Martinez, Ph.D.
Director
Philippine Deaf Resource Center
27 K-7 St.
West Kamias, Q.C. 1102 Philippines
Tel 632.9941441; 632.9218521
Mobile 0927.5288662
Skype phildeafres
www.phildeafres.org / pdrc@phildeafres.org
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