Then join us this Saturday, May 19. Look at the details in our tablet below. For more details, visit the Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI) official website at pnasli.webs.com. See you there!

A gang rape scandal involving minors in Bayawan Cty is overshadowed by reports that the victim, a deaf-mute, is pregnant with twins. However, there is no official confirmation to this belated pregnancy report as of press time.

Mayor Rene Gaudiel said that the victim was apparently raped three times, with the first two instances by her boyfriend and the third incident involving his boyfriend’sgang. Only two have actually raped the victim with the four other minors serving as accessory to the crime.

The city has a center for children in conflict with the law, but Gaudiel is unsure if thesuspects ageing 16-17 years old were already committed there. It was also learned that the incidents happened last December 2011 but was only reported lately as the victim’s family were at first hesitant to publicly make the charge for fear of humiliation.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is currently collecting the affidavits for pos sibl e multiple r ape charges but are prevented by the fact that under the Juvenile Delinquency Law, they cannot be sentenced nor held in jails.

Mayor Gaudiel joins calls for the amendment of the law authored by Senator Francis Pangilinan as it is being abused by criminal gangs using minors to perpetuate some offenses knowing that they would most likely be freed.

ANC gives the deaf a voice (The Philippine Star) Updated March 21, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0)

From left: Deaf consultant Maria Rowena Rivera, sign language interpreters Catherine Villareal and John Baliza singing letters ANC
| Zoom

MANILA, Philippines – When the sign language interpreters of Chief Justice on Trial: the ANC Coverage first encountered the term “subpoena duces tecum” and other obscure legal terms, they had to text colleagues who were off-duty and scrabble for the nearest dictionary to find out their meaning and devise ways to interpret them.

Nine weeks into the legalese-heavy trial, the interpreters-instructors from De La Salle’s College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (CSB-SDEAS) and Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI) still get on with their preparation practices before they sit on-air at 2 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays — bring a dictionary, consult with lawyers and the deaf community, and on their off days, meet and discuss difficult legal phrases and the best ways to “sign” them.

Two sign language interpreters take turn every 20 minutes on a single trial day in interpreting the argument among the prosecution and defense panels and the senator-judges live. Off-camera, a deaf coordinator, a hearing coordinator — and at times, a legal consultant — synergize to ensure legal technicalities are correctly interpreted.

The initiative of ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, to fortify its uninterrupted coverage of the impeachment trial has spawned wider political participation by making information accessible to the deaf.

ANC has established itself as “the news channel” that delivers non-stop reportage of news events including the groundbreaking blow-by-blow coverage of the former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s impeachment trial, a first on Philippine TV.

ANC managing director Ging Reyes expressed that the sign language initiative serves as another milestone for the news channel and recognizes that the deaf have a stake in the growth of the country.

Catherine Joy Villareal, an instructor at CSB-SDEAS and one of the interpreters, said the team has garnered significantly excellent reactions from the deaf community in provinces and even Filipinos abroad.

“We get to perform our roles, however little, in this historical event. Our goal is to serve the deaf community for them to be able to be aware of what’s happening and for them to have a voice. They participate in what’s happening through us and through ANC’s efforts,” she said.

ANC first incorporated sign language insets during the airing of President Benigno Aquino III’s 2010 and 2011 State of the Nation Addresses. Following positive feedback on the efforts, ANC once again tapped the CSB-SDEAS faculty to make sure the Filipino deaf community is not left out on the historic hearing.

The interpreting team also hopes to promote support for legislations that would require sign language insets in all newscasts and TV programs.

“The effort is significant in a sense that we’re making history not just for the deaf as a community but for the Philippines as a country. We’re slowly integrating the deaf into the society and opening opportunities to them,” said Oscar Sherlo Reyes, CSB-SDEAS’ coordinator for employment opportunities and one of the hearing coordinators in ANC’s coverage.

Aside from the CSB-SDEAS faculty and PNASLI, sign language interpreters from partner groups CAP College, Philippine Association of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment and Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf also volunteer for ANC’s impeachment trial coverage.

 Chief Justice on Trial: the ANC Coverage airs on ANC (SkyCable Ch. 27) or online streamed live on  HYPERLINK “http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/cjontrial” http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/cjontrial, while those mobile can get instant updates by following @ANCALERTS on Twitter.

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• Barack Obama and sign language (kottke.org)
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This app will be available in iphone.

PIONEERING technology which translates sign language into text is being developed by Scottish scientists in a major boost for people suffering from speech and hearing difficulties.

Repost from www.scotsman.com website.

Download MCCID FSL Font

I now have 319 posts, 792 comments, 22 categories, 685 tags, 24 active followers, 40 comment followers.

Since my last Yay! post in November 11 or four months ago, I was able to blog thirty three times. My top referrer is now Google search followed closely by Deafread.com and a far third by WordPress tags, fourth by Facebook, fifth from our school’s official website and sixth from deafvideo.tv. This is probably because I was able to post ten video logs.

My top search engine term remains the Deaf Icon Marlee Matlin followed by “Dinig Sana Kita“, a Filipino movie about being deaf, Heather Whitestone and Filipino Sign Language . My most popular blog post is still about the most popular Filipino Person With Disability, ex-governor Grace Padaca while my most popular video log post (vlog) is about the Philippine National Anthem in Filipino Sign Language.

Thank you very very much to my dear readers for staying patient with me! Now, on to my first 220,000th visitors hopefully still within 2012!

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Deaf Child Wants To Remain In Regular School

The Special Learner

By TERESITA DE MESA

February 20, 2012, 1:26am

MANILA, Philippines — QUESTION:  I have a deaf child who is transferring from a regular school to a special school. I’m worried about her adjustment since she is used to interacting with hearing people, although she knows how to sign. She doesn’t like the idea and she wants to stay in her current school. I just wanted her to interact with other deaf children her age. The school has a lot of good programs suited for her. Am I making a right decision about this? Please help. – Worried Mom

TEACHER TESS SAYS: Two reasons are mentioned for your child’s transfer to a special school.  First, you want her to interact with other deaf children her age.

Referral for a special education evaluation is the first step in the process of determining if your child should receive special education services. The evaluation should examine all areas of suspected disability and provide a detailed description of your child’s educational needs.  The evaluation should answer these questions:

1. Does the child have a disability? What type?

2. Does the disability cause the child to be unable to progress effectively in regular  education?

3. Does the child have difficulties in coping up with the inclusive education requirements?

4. Does the child require specially designed instruction to make progress or does the child  require a related service or services in order to access the general curriculum?

5. Does the current school give the necessary services for the child?

The answer to each of these questions should be “yes”. Students cannot be determined eligible for special education just because they cannot learn academic skills or because they find difficulties in their socialization skills. Or when the reason is just like what you have mentioned in your query.

Second reason: The school has a lot of good programs suited for her.

Special education is specially designed instruction and related services that meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. The purpose of special education is to allow children/students with special needs to successfully develop their individual educational potential and talent(s). Along with providing services to these special learners, if necessary, services are provided to parents and teachers.

When your child transfers to a special education program, she will be aware that she is not in a regular classroom setting. You may discuss with her why she is going to a special school, its advantages  such as more teachers with specialization in teaching special students, more enjoyable activities, and more children who are like her.

As your child has openly shown her dislike for going to a special school, discuss your concerns and the purpose of why you think special education is appropriate for her.

The Philippine School for the Deaf is an excellent national school that offers a comprehensive special educational program specially designed for their eligible special students.  It has institutionalized a school-to-work transition and adult vocational education which assures students of academic, personality, socialization and career development programs for their community integration in the future.

Both of you may visit this school for her to see how she can make effective progress and develop her maximum potential and eventually be a productive, self-directed and fully participative and empowered member of the society.

So which school is right for your child?

You can answer this question based on your child’s particular, individualized needs. Ask what kind of setting wherein your child will learn best,  and at the same time maintain and keep in touch with her friends from the other school

Finally, be sincere and honest to yourself and your child about the real reason why school transfer is necessary. God bless!

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Somebody tagged me to this photo. I don’t know who made this but I salute him/her. This is so true!