If you’re part of the Filipino Deaf Vloggers: Facts, Opinions and Openness Facebook group, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. With 8.5K members, this private group has become the digital plaza where Filipino Deaf voices, thoughts, and creative content converge.

Last May, the group witnessed a fascinating and, at times, intense debate: Should we adopt a new sign for the word “Deaf”?

The Traditional Sign

For years—and still the most commonly used—Filipino Sign Language expresses “deaf” using the index finger pointing to the tip of the ear and then to the tip of the mouth. It’s a sign deeply rooted in both local and international Deaf culture, used consistently in schools, training, and public events.

Old FSL Sign for “deaf”

A New Proposal from the Youth

Then came a fresh take, introduced in a vlog by a well-respected and internationally educated deaf figure (whom I will not name here out of respect for privacy). This proposed sign involves a semi-open hand closing as it moves toward the eye—symbolizing the act of visually receiving information from the world.

It’s bold, abstract, and meaningful—especially to the younger generation who want to assert their identity and reimagine how Deafness is viewed: not as a loss, but as a unique way of experiencing and interacting with the world.

The idea clearly resonated with many, sparking counter-vlogs, heated comment threads, and respectful (and sometimes not-so-respectful) exchanges of opinion. It’s a linguistic moment that captures something deeper: the tension between tradition and change, between cultural preservation and innovation.

AI Generated Image of the “New FSL sign for deaf”

Authority and Standardization

As far as I know, Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF)—the official body entrusted with preserving and developing Filipino Sign Language under Republic Act 11106—has not yet weighed in or issued a standard regarding this new sign.

Until then, this space remains a lively marketplace of ideas.

My Two Cents (From a Distance)

Now, I’ll be honest: I’m a hearing person. And because of that, I’ve always been careful about taking a neutral stance in Deaf-centered discussions—especially those that touch on identity, language, and lived experience.

Still, I feel it’s okay to share a personal note: If I had my way, I would stay with the original sign. It’s widely used, well-understood, and deeply familiar. But I also recognize that language is never static—especially in a vibrant, expressive community like this one.

Final Thoughts

Whether the community adopts the new sign, retains the old one, or ends up using both in different contexts, what matters most is that Deaf people themselves lead this conversation.

This moment shows us just how dynamic and empowered the Filipino Deaf community has become—especially the younger generation. And as an ally and advocate, I’m grateful just to witness and document this evolution.

So—what do you think? Should there be a new sign for “Deaf”? Is it time for a change, or should we hold on to tradition?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

May we all have a wonderful and blessed 2025. Good health and safety for everyone has always been my fervent prayer.

Miss Deaf Universe 2024: A Star is Born in Poland

Held in the picturesque city of Warsaw, Poland on November 30, the Miss Deaf Universe 2024 pageant was a spectacle of grace, talent, and empowerment. Besting eighteen other candidates, Jasmin Arriola captivated the judges and audience with her poise, intelligence, and advocacy for inclusivity in education and employment for the Deaf community. Her heartfelt responses during the interview round, combined with her stunning traditional Filipiniana attire, showcased her pride in Filipino heritage.

“I would want to support Mister and Miss Deaf Universe in the future so deaf people could have a better prospect of life and to show, make recognition of disabled people and deaf people even more visible,” Ariola said using sign language in the final round answering the question, “If you won the crown, what will you do for a year?.” [ABS-CBN News]

Her triumph marks the first time the Philippines has won the prestigious Miss Deaf Universe crown, a momentous achievement that resonated deeply with Filipinos worldwide. Jasmin, a native of Olongapo City and a graduate of the College of St. Benilde, is one of the supermodels and a brand endorser of a popular tuna canned product.

Meanwhile, her partner, Arjay Lopez, was also awarded Vice Mister Deaf Universe 2024, or 1st runner-up. Mister and Miss Deaf Universe has been holding this activity since 2014.

A Double Triumph in Thailand

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Thailand, the Philippines’ representatives continued their winning streak at the Miss and Mister Supreme Deaf International pageant. Gibson Cruz clinched the Mister Supreme Deaf International 2024 title, while Nelson “Neal” Cortez, won the Miss Queen Deaf International 2024. Both competitors impressed the judges with their charisma, talent, and powerful messages of self-empowerment. Meanwhile, Gibson’s partner, Myra Rayo received the Miss Supreme Deaf International 2024 Popular Vote Award’

These three wonderful deaf winners are so dear to me because they were once my students at MCCID College of Technology. Gibson has a great talent for arts and dance and was one of the school leaders. Myra was the main actor in the most popular video of MCCID YouTube Channel, registering more than 15 million views. She portrayed a real-life deaf who was physically abused by her relative.

Nelson or Neal is also another talented deaf. As a member of the LGBTQ community, Neal has been promoting deaf rights and advocating for the recognition and respect of the Filipino gay deaf community.

Advocating for a More Inclusive World

Beyond the glitz and glamour, the victories of these Filipino delegates carry a profound message. Both pageants emphasize the importance of amplifying the voices of Deaf individuals and breaking down stereotypes. Their respective platforms focus on advocating for equal opportunities in education, employment, and societal participation for the Deaf community.

A Nation’s Pride

As a pageant-crazed country in the world, the Philippines holds one of the top spots in winning various international beauty competitions in both female and male contests. These winnings from the Filipino Deaf community add credence to my country’s commitment to beauty, and talent, and now promoting a more inclusive and equitable world. Thank you very much for supporting our MCCID deaf alumni. Mabuhay ang mga Pilipinong Bingi! Mabuhay and Pilipinas!

Note: All photos here are taken from the Facebook accounts of the deaf as well as the official Facebook accounts of Mister and Miss Deaf Universe and Miss and Mister Supreme Deaf International. Credits to the Owners.

The deaf and their dogs are a perfect match. It is playful, loving, and very unique. The deaf person will be able to communicate with their pet in sign language but also through body language and hand movements.

My entire household is composed of three resident deaf companions; Ervin, Owen, Elizar, and Kennel. Since my home is inside the campus of MCCID College of Technology in San Mateo, Rizal, most of the time, I am surrounded by tens or more deaf young adults. Sometimes, my former deaf students and their friends visit the campus. This nearly one-hectare land is quite spacious for all of us.

But that’s not all. We currently have furry friends with us. We cuddle them any time we want. They are Angel, Beauty, Coffee, Emmy, Jasmine, Mocha, and Oreo. They are our cuddled companions. These dogs make our troubles literally, “go away”. They guard our belongings. Other than being protective dogs, they can also be playful and dear to the other deaf. Oh, I almost forgot, we have Milo, Momo, and Mojo. They are stray cats who chose to be with us and made this place their home.

Now why are these fluffy friends so attached to the deaf? Together they “clicked”. Since Artificial Intelligence and Chatgpt are becoming more popular these days, I decided to use it and ask the question,

Why are the Deaf and their Dogs a perfect match?

Here is what Chatgpt answered:

Deaf people are visual

In the world of the deaf, communication is done mostly through body language and hand movements. Deaf people rely on these methods because they are more empathetic than hearing people, who are not as sensitive to their surroundings. This can make it difficult for a dog who does not know how to read body language or understand what the deaf person wants him or her to do.

When you think about this situation from an animal’s point of view, you’ll realize how much easier it would be for your furry friend if he could hear when you tell him “sit” or “stay.” If only there were some way we could teach him what those words mean!

Dogs are visual

Dogs are visual. They can read human body language like no other animal, and they’re able to pick up on subtle cues from their owners that say “I’m sad”, “I’m angry”, or even “I want to play”. When you get down on the floor with your dog, he’ll know exactly what it means when you start making excited noises. Dogs also have an innate understanding of how humans move—they can sense when someone has shifted their weight or is about to stand up straight (which makes them very aware of any sudden movements).

Dogs can read human body language like no other

Dogs are very visual. They can read human body language like no other creature. This is because they have a visual cortex in their brains, which allows them to see things that we cannot see, like emotions and body language.

Dogs can sense our emotions better than humans do, as well as read our expressions and posture better than we can ourselves! It’s thought that this ability may have evolved from when dogs were domesticated by humans about 15 thousand years ago; after all, it would make sense for them (and us) if dogs could recognize each other even before being allowed inside the house!

Deaf people rely on body language and hand movements

Body language and hand movements are visual language. Deaf people rely on body language and hand movements to communicate, as well as sign language. Signing is a form of communication that uses gestures to represent words or ideas. It’s also known as American Sign Language (ASL).

Signing requires concentration, so it’s important for deaf people to be able to do this well in order to communicate effectively with others around them. If you’re interested in learning more about ASL, here are some great resources:

• [Learn About Signing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX2WJZD1VuU)
• [Tips For Learning ASL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8P3_ZpOmB0)

Perfect Match!

Dogs can read body language and hand movements like no other. It’s a gift that has been passed down from one generation to another, but it’s also a skill that can be learned by anyone who knows how to train their dog.

Deaf people rely on body language and hand movements for communication with others in order to express feelings or ask questions about things they want or need. Similarly, dogs rely on their owners’ body language for direction when they’re out on walks or playing fetch at home—if you want your dog’s attention, all you have to do is give it!

Dogs are visual creatures who love looking into other animals’ eyes so much that many breeds were bred specifically over time around this premise: “If I look into my owner’s eyes long enough…she will fall head over heels in love with me.”

Deaf and their dogs are a perfect match. It is playful, loving, and very unique. Dogs are visual creatures that can read human body language like no other. Deaf people rely on body language and hand movements to communicate with others; therefore it makes sense that deaf people would have dogs that can also use this method of communication to understand what they want their pets to do or say.

The deaf community has come together so that all of us will be able to live happier lives without having any limitations!

Conclusion

Deaf people and their dogs are a perfect match. It is playful, loving, and very unique. Deaf people rely on body language and hand movements for communication, which makes them great candidates for training a dog. A deaf person will never understand how much fun the dog is having with its owner because they can’t hear it but they will still be able to feel it in their heart and soul!

I couldn’t agree more.

After blogging for the first time this year last November 1, I was pleasantly surprised that WordPress.com has embraced Artificial Intelligence technology. I have been using the free version of Grammarly.com for many years when I compose letters, blog posts here, news articles for websites that I maintain, lecture notes, and nearly everything I do when using the MS Word word processing application. Aside from Canva.com, the Grammarly app has been my savior every time I overlook grammar errors.

All my blog posts must have a featured image to enhance the content and make it appealing, especially when you share it with other social media sites. So after completing my post “Can Deaf Adults be forced to support their parents?“, I clicked on the button, Generate with AI option. I said, Wow! I won’t have any more problems finding the appropriate image to support or highlight the post.

After selecting it, the AI scans the entire post and generates its own image based on what it “perceives” to be the right one. After a few seconds, the image was generated. But the image was not what I wanted it to appear because the people that are in it are not Asian, or specifically, Filipinos. So I entered a simple sentence that best describes what I want. I put,

This is what the AI generated! It was very accurate. Perfect! Impressive! Except, oh no! The deaf guy has six fingers! And his mother has a missing finger! So creepy!

I tried to “Generate” again. Still, all the images have extra fingers. What gives? So I did some quick research. Here is what I gathered.

From Brittanica.com, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-does-AI-art-screw-up-hands-and-fingers-2230501, it says,

1. One is, simply, that hands are a small part of the human body. In real photographs of people, hands aren’t generally the focus. 
2. AI doesn’t actually know what a hand is. In two-dimensional images, hands can appear in dozens of different positions: waving, flexing, holding an object, clenching a fist, or poking out of a pants pocket, partially hidden from view. 

From Chatgpt, this is what it generates,

AI-generated images sometimes end up with extra fingers or other anatomical oddities because of the complexity and variability of human hands and fingers in training data. Here are some key reasons for these issues:

1. Data Complexity: Hands are complicated structures with lots of potential configurations and overlap. AI models learn by analyzing millions of images, but they don’t inherently understand anatomy; they’re just identifying patterns. Since hands vary greatly in poses, AI models can misinterpret overlapping fingers or unusual angles as extra parts.
2. Training Limitations: Earlier models might not have had enough specific data on hands and fingers. Without specialized training that targets these details, models tend to generalize patterns in ways that lead to awkward outputs, especially for objects as complex and variable as hands.
3. Error Propagation: If a model produces a hand with one extra finger, that feature might become part of its learned patterns, creating a feedback loop that can continue to produce similar errors in the future.
4. Lack of Contextual Understanding: AI lacks a true understanding of the human form. It knows general patterns but doesn’t fully “grasp” (pun intended) how many fingers are biologically correct. This means that when it’s unsure, it may add or distort fingers without recognizing the mistake.

Recent advancements, like DALL-E 3, have addressed this problem by using refined datasets and model adjustments that focus on realistic human features, including hands and fingers.

I blog about deaf people. I cannot avoid mentioning the hands because they primarily use them for communicating. I need images where deaf or hearing people do some hand movements. This is unacceptable.

With the blazing-fast improvement of technology, I bet AI will perfect this flaw. I already tested some free AI tools that generate a complete set of fingers. So let’s see.

Even though it’s a new site, Microsoft Co-pilot trusted its content by using it as one of its reference sources. It made the site a credible source of legitimate information. So I guess I should trust it too.

The page lists five institutions and Organizations that offer sign language courses in Manila. These are:

1. Philippine Association of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment (PAIDE)
2. Philippine Deaf Sign Language Association (PDSL Association)
3. LINK Center for the Deaf 
4. Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf (MCCID) 
5. De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Manila

Check out the page to read what it says about each institution by clicking on the link below. Cheers!

https://thebeat.asia/manila/ohana/relationships/5-institutions-and-organizations-that-teach-sign-language-in-manila

A month ago, the mother of one of my former deaf students who has been working with me for a few decades, messaged me through social media. She requested that I talk to her personally about her deaf son. We had been Facebook friends for many years but this was the first time she communicated with me. But I wasn’t surprised because I knew the query would most definitely be about finances. For the past months, his son hasn’t visited his family even on weekends. I saw on his mom’s wall feed that his dad has suffered a stroke and is undergoing therapy. I am not aware of the financial support her son has been sending him and I don’t pry about his personal concerns.

We had a lengthy video call as I interpreted for her deaf son. She enumerated her financial and health struggles and requested her son to help her. Her son agreed to go home on that weekend and personally hand over his support. I thought the issue was solved. It wasn’t.

What irked me most was when his mother made a lengthy follow-up message. We have a Tagalog way of saying things but we meant the other. She started with, “Mawalang galang na po“, which is loosely translated as “excuse me” or “hope I am not offending you.” However, her succeeding statements are on the contrary. She accused me of not giving her son enough compensation without knowing his real status. She was worried and blamed me for the bleak and sad future his deaf son might have once he retires. So I replied by enumerating what his son receives monthly, his financial status, what he has accumulated these past years, and his health security. I also gifted him the latest smartphone on his last birthday, a motor vehicle, and a sizeable parcel of titled land on which he could put up his own house. As I have mentioned earlier, I don’t know if he supports his parents or not. I also don’t know what he is telling his parents. This became a good chance for me to inform them about my side.

Yes, a deaf adult, just like the rest of us, is legally required to support their hearing parents. Under the Family Code of the Philippines (Articles 195 and 196), adult children are obligated to support their parents if the parents are in financial need and if the children have the means to provide such support. This duty applies regardless of whether the child is deaf or hearing.

However, a deaf adult’s specific circumstances—such as their financial situation, employment opportunities, and potential additional living expenses due to accessibility needs—can influence how the law is applied. Courts may consider these factors when determining the level and feasibility of support expected from the deaf adult child.

In the Philippines, as in most countries including the highly developed ones, are less likely to be employed in high-status occupations such as managerial or supervisorial work. They also face stronger negative attitudes and discriminatory practices in the workplace compared to hearing people. They would mostly be sidelined as labor-intensive workers due to the communication barriers required for higher-level jobs. So the financial capability of a deaf adult is very limiting compared to their non-deaf siblings.

For deaf individuals, communication barriers, and personal resources play big factors in their ability to provide care. In my many years of conducting home visits to families of my deaf students, I have always emphasized the limited capacity of the deaf member of their family to shoulder the big burden of taking care of them due to their inability to hear and their incapable to communicate using sign language.

My takeaway on this? Deaf people should take good care of their elders because we love them. Legally or not, they should be responsible for their family. No ifs. No buts.

But to their parents and other members of their family, please give more filial affection to your deaf son/daughter/sibling. They cannot hear. They have limited income opportunities. You were there the moment they were born and experienced how difficult it was to communicate with them and to express their needs and wants. Most of them are barely struggling to survive in the hearing world. So please, give them a break.

Usually, I am excited to be assigned to do TV inset interpreting. Not today. But, the excitement is still there! Why? Today we have witnessed sign language interpreting with a welcome twist, or should I say a very welcoming improvement! Deaf persons formed part of the sign language interpreting team!

We started including sign language interpreting twelve years ago (2010), during the first SONA of then-President Noynoy Aquino. Major national TV networks hired us to do inset TV interpreting so that everybody can understand including those who cannot hear. Naturally, they contact hearing people to do the interpreting.

But what’s especially unique today is that, for the first time in history, two deaf persons were assigned to do inset interpreting! Meet, Jasmin! She is a news presenter at MATA News Philippines, an online “Access News for the Filipino Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community”. Mata News was created in 2016 and has since been giving weekly highlights on the latest news and developments in Filipino Sign Language.

The other deaf guy is Bibo or Heineken Bibo Lee Perey! He is one of the most popular Deaf Vloggers in the Philippines. His famous page BIBO” – Deaf Superstar of the Philippines and The Deaf King of Comedy which was only created in 2020, now has nearly 100 thousand followers! I have not personally met Jasmin. But I have been a friend to Bibo since way back when I interpreted for him when he was the vice president of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf (PFD), and blogged about him here .

Both Jasmin and Bibo did the sign language interpreting inside the studio of People’s Television 4 (PTV4), the only Philippine government-owned and controlled TV network. It has always been my dream that in the future, all inset interpreting on TV will be consolidated into one, with the interpreter stationed inside the venue (Batasang Pambansa) together with the President, and the interpreter will be a deaf person. One of my dreams is now fulfilled and a true empowerment to the deaf people.

Congratulations, Jasmin and Bibo and Cheers to the Filipino Deaf Community!

Side Info: Both Bibo and I are staunch BBM supporters and campaigned for him last year!

I got hold of this blog posted by Ms. Rebecca A Withey of LimpingChicken.com which I have been a subscriber for many years now. Her blog is about Ms. Lisa Davies, a deaf person born in a hearing family. This is what she has observed as regards the current sad state of the deaf community in the UK.

Access for deaf people has never been better but at what cost? Gone are the days when you would go to a local Deaf Club and deaf people of various ages were everywhere – from babies to older people. You would be lucky to find a free seat or even standing space in the building and you would still be there hours later signing or talking because you would be trying to catch up with everyone.

Today, you go to a local event for deaf people, and there are just a handful – many are of the older generation who just can’t get their heads round all “that online stuff”. There hasn’t been a decrease in the number of deaf people in the UK population – in fact, the opposite. There are now more deaf people than ever before but where are they?

It’s much harder now to find deaf centres or clubs to socialise in because everyone is choosing to connect “online”. This has had an impact on local deaf centres and clubs all over the UK which have been in decline now for some years.

Now, the saddest part, as she observed, is that

At a time when deaf people have more access than ever before, they have also become very isolated. What is more worrying is the sharp increase in the number of deaf people with mental health. These people are lacking that human connection and social interaction – the facial expressions, that hug and clear clarification that you get when you see someone in person to explain things properly. You don’t get any of that online.

She even added that social media has affected the younger communities’ way of dealing with the older ones. She noticed that

People today, not just deaf people, have no manners or respect because they have grown up online, so they have not had the chance to learn or pick up social interaction skills. This means that what is natural to them can appear rude to other people, especially the older generation. This can lead to misunderstandings unfortunately!

I’m unsure if this dilemma is the same as with other progressive countries like the US. I can only speak as to my observation here in the Philippines. We all know that the entire world went in isolation during the COVID pandemic. It has halted the way we socialize. They only way to interact with others is through online.

But today is 2023. Everyone is now free to socialize. In spite of that, did we fully recover? Did the Filipino Deaf community returned to normal? I can safely say, WE DID! Here are the facts as of this date.

• Prior to the unveiling ceremony of the important cultural property marker of the Philippine School for the Deaf by the National Historical Commission on May 19 recognizing its existence since 1907, various alumni held their reunions from January to March.
• Manila High School, one of the oldest existing secondary schools in the Philippines, and also the first which offers a middle school mainstream program for the deaf, held its alumni reunion last May 20.
• The Philippine Federation of the Deaf, the national federation of deaf organizations in the country, held its 9th General Assembly in Iloilo City, Western Visayas last May 19 to 22. Part of the event was the election of new set of Board Officers for the year 2023 to 2027.
• The Filipino Deaf Vloggers: Feed, Awareness and Openness, the largest Facebook group of nearly 8,000 purely deaf members, will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary this June 17 at the Dela Salle-College of St. Benilde Grounds in Manila. FDVFAO has been one of my favorite deaf-only group. I have mentioned them several times on blog topics like sign language hand gloves, Filipino Sign Language not Philippine Sign Language, and sign language interpreting biases.

Alumni of Manila High School pose together with their former teacher. Image courtesy of Renato Moran, one of my first students who graduated from this government mainstream school

Hopefully, this would continue. Here’s to more physical meetups! Mabuhay ang Filipino Deaf Community!

As politics is not subtraction but addition, those who share views and ideas need to join forces and they have to cooperate with political opponents even after they win an election.

Last Tuesday (June 23), I inquired one of the admins of Deaf and HOH Uniteam on news about the officially assigned sign language interpreter for the inauguration of President-Elect Bongbong Marcos on June 30. This is also my way of informing them about the blog post I wrote on June 8 and seeking their approval and/or correction so I can make changes to the content. But after chatting with these remarkable deaf guys for up to 3 in the morning of the following day, I decided to make a separate blog post to include more details about the group. So here it is.

The Beginning

To recap, on November 12, 2021, a small group composed of six deaf people formed Team Deaf and HOH 2022 – Solid UNITEAM BBM-SARA Supporters. Then they silently invited deaf members whom they perceived as supporters of the Uniteam based on what they posted or liked on FB. A day later (November 13), they invited me to join the group after searching for interpreters whom they perceive are friendly to their cause. I gladly accepted their invitation. I believe that the group only wants deaf and HOH as members. But they probably added me so that they can have a mix of hearing people who know sign language. Their members increase gradually.

Their group was led by Alvin Lladones under the name Bavin El. Other leaders include Henrey Perey, John Carlo Bacurio, Christopher Uy, Leo Alvarez, and Miles Mutia. This team was formed because they want to fight disinformation among the deaf community against their chosen candidate to support.

Because we fought and defended our UNITEAM before election.

Bavin El

The group wants to put a united front informing the Filipino deaf community that they exist. They may not be noisy at first. But they slowly invited deaf people whom they perceive as pro-BBM or can be persuaded to vote for him. Carefully, they campaigned for their chosen candidate by observing the Facebook posts and comments of their fellow deaf. Once they sense that this deaf person is leaning towards an opposing candidate, they distance themselves.

However, things got a little bit out of hand when they notice that one by one, most of the sign language interpreters are expressing their preference to the pink contender. As mentioned from my previous blog post,

This deaf group also observed that almost all major campaign rallies of VP Leni often have organized sign language interpreting. They even created the Deaf4Leni&Kiko Facebook group on February 19 which was renamed to Angat Buhay Deaf Group on May 12 and has 206 members, and Angat Buhay Deaf Community Page which has an astounding 59,244 likes although I’m not sure whether all of them are deaf or the majority are just sympathizers! They also created special “Interpreters for Leni-Kiko” FB Frame. One interpreter even became an instant celebrity because she actively participate on stage dancing and acting together with popular singers and artists. Sadly, none that I know of volunteer to interpret for BBM rallies except for one campaigning for his tandem, Mayor Sara Duterte.

When BBM declined to join the Presidential Debate sponsored by the leading TV Network due to the host being partial, attacks against him heightened. Sign language interpreters were assigned to the debate. All of the candidates except BBM were able to campaign that night, and the deaf understood. But sadly, they were not able to hear the plans and platforms of their chosen candidate.

However, their hopes were realized when BBM participated in the Boy Abunda One-on-One Interview. But it’s a pity that there were no interpreters assigned to all the interviews. In fairness to my interpreter-colleagues, they volunteered to record the interviews to include sign language interpreting. Still, the group cannot help but express their dissatisfaction on the interpreters because they already have their own preference.

Their sentiments were not only felt by their community. One of my Facebook friend who is a sign language interpreter from far south messaged me. She was surprised that I side with BBM-Sara. She thought that all of the sign language interpreters are siding with the pink/yellow group. She observed that even most of the former and current leaders of the deaf federation are “kakampinks”. I answered here with jest saying that we are just silent. Most of us don’t want to expose our choice so that we won’t be tagged as biased. I explained that I am currently not actively interpreting. I only interpreted once during the CNN presidential debate.

Since I already asked his permission, I want to especially mention here Mr. Henry Lee Perey, former Vice President of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and now Vice President of Philippine Sports Federation of the Deaf but who is famously recognized in Facebook as BIBO” – Deaf Superstar of the Philippines and The Deaf King of Comedy with more than 42 thousand followers. He was one of the staunch defenders of BBM against those who favor the other camps. I can also now safely say that this is his Facebook post.

The continuation?……

On June 30, President-Elect Bongbong Marcos will officially become the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Deaf and HOH Uniteam Group has successfully accomplished their goal of campaigning for his win together with Vice President Sara Duterte. The group is celebrating with President BBM.

But, is their mission already complete? Will the group continue to survive or would silently disband and go on their separate ways? I hope not. When President Duterte started his administration, attacks against him continued and even expanded to include interventions from foreign instigators collaborating with local politicians, biased mainstream media, and influential groups led by the Catholic church. But did his supporters stopped defending him? NO! They even expanded exponentially especially in social media where they strongly shielded him from vicious attacks. Popular bloggers and video bloggers like Krisette Chu, Atty Darwin Canete, Thinking Pinoy, Jam Magno, Sass Sassot, Atty Trixie Angeles and many more explained Duterte’s actions and decisions in ways that are relatable and clear to the common Filipinos.

President Duterte ended his government with the highest approval and trust ratings from the Filipino people. He definitely paved the way for BBM’s overwhelming votes. However, BBM also needs the active support and defense from everyone including the deaf community who trusted him with their votes. I hope they just upgrade their group’s goal, from campaigning for him, to continue sharing future issues and discussing them by exchanging their opinions through posts and messaging so the community will remain alive and informed.

I will end this by posting probably a once-in-a-lifetime event where two active group admins’ Alvin “Bavin El” Lladones and Christopher Uy took selfie photo with former Duterte Secretary and senatorial candidate Salvador Panelo during a rally in Paranaque City. Cheers, guys!