The Filipino Sign Language Act

Republic Act No. 11106

Summary of Republic Act No. 11106 (The Filipino Sign Language Act)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2)
- Promotes, protects, and ensures full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Upholds respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy, and independence of persons with disabilities by guaranteeing accessibility and eliminating discrimination in public interactions and transactions.
- Ensures the right to expression and opinion of the Filipino deaf.
- Recognizes and promotes the use of sign languages embodying the cultural and linguistic identity of the Filipino deaf.

Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language (Section 3)
- Filipino Sign Language (FSL) is declared as the national sign language of the Philippines.
- 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.

Filipino Sign Language in Education (Section 4)
- DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and other agencies involved in deaf education shall use FSL as the medium of instruction and coordinate its use.
- FSL shall be taught as a separate subject in the curriculum for deaf learners.
- Reading and writing of Filipino, other Philippine languages, and English shall also be taught to deaf learners.
- PRC and teacher education programs shall employ alternative assessment procedures for licensing and mobilizing deaf teachers.
- FSL shall be a curricular or co-curricular offering in teacher education programs.
- Agencies providing education to deaf students shall undertake regular pre-/in-service training and evaluation of teachers, designed and taught in partnership with the Filipino deaf community.
- UP, KWF, and other stakeholders shall develop guidelines for training materials in deaf education for use by SUCs.

Standards for Filipino Sign Language Interpreting (Section 5)
- KWF, with involvement of the deaf community and stakeholders, shall establish a national system of standards, accreditations, and procedures for FSL interpreting.
- Policies on interpreting as a profession, such as compensation rates, working conditions, and grievance procedures, shall be included.

Filipino Sign Language in the Justice System (Section 6)
- FSL shall be the official language of legal interpreting for the deaf in all public hearings, proceedings, and transactions of courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and tribunals.
- Courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and tribunals shall ensure the availability of qualified sign language interpreters in all proceedings involving the deaf.
- The Supreme Court and other agencies shall promote appropriate training for those working in the administration of justice, including interpreters and court personnel.
- DOJ, DILG, and the Judiciary, with involvement of the deaf community and stakeholders, shall create a national system of standards, accreditation, and procedures for legal interpreting in FSL.

Filipino Sign Language in All Workplaces (Section 7)
- FSL shall be the official language of the Filipino deaf employed in the civil service and all government workplaces.
- Government offices shall take reasonable measures to encourage the use of FSL among deaf and hearing employees, including conducting awareness and training seminars.
- UP, KWF, and other stakeholders shall formulate guidelines for training materials for employees of DOJ, Judiciary, DOH, DSWD, PCW, CWC, and CHR in conducting their mandates and activities.

Filipino Sign Language in the Health System (Section 8)
- State hospitals and health facilities shall ensure access of the Filipino deaf to health services, including free provision of FSL interpreters and accessible materials upon request of deaf patients or their family members.
- Private health facilities are encouraged to provide access to health services to deaf patients and their family members as part of corporate social responsibility.

Filipino Sign Language in All Other Public Transactions, Services, and Facilities (Section 9)
- All national agencies, GOCCs, and LGUs shall use FSL as the medium of official communication in all public transactions involving the deaf.
- Qualified FSL interpreters and accessible materials shall be provided whenever necessary or requested during fora, conferences, meetings, cultural events, sports competitions, community affairs, and activities conducted by government agencies and GOCCs.

Filipino Sign Language in Media (Section 10)
- FSL shall be the language of broadcast media interpreting.
- KBP and MTRCB shall, within one (1) year from the effective date of the Act, require FSL interpreter insets in news and public affairs programs, compliant with accessibility standards for television.
- MTRCB shall take steps to promote progressive use of FSL in all other broadcasts and programming, especially in educational television programs for children.
- KBP, MTRCB, the deaf community, and stakeholders shall create a national system of standards, procedures, and accreditation for broadcast media interpreting in FSL.
- Videos published online, including on social media, shall conform to Philippine web accessibility standards.

Promotion of Filipino Sign Language (Section 11)
- DepEd, CHED, UP, KWF, and other agencies and LGUs shall take steps to propagate sign language competency among hearing people by offering FSL as an elective subject, particularly in SUCs.
- SUCs, led by UP, shall undertake continuing research for the development, propagation, and preservation of FSL and its cultural history.

Instructional Materials for Schools and Child Development Centers (Section 12)
- DepEd Instructional Materials and Council Secretariat, in coordination with other bureaus and the ECCD Council, shall develop guidelines for the selection, production, procurement, and distribution of print and video materials in FSL to public schools, day care centers, and national child development centers.
- 75% of all procurement contracts shall be reserved for deaf people's organizations, including regional or provincial enterprises and cooperatives run by the deaf and recognized by LGUs.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 13)
- KWF, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Chairperson of CHED, the Director General of TESDA, the Chairperson of PRC, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Secretary of Justice, and heads of other relevant agencies, and in consultation with representatives of the deaf community, teachers, interpreters, and other concerned persons, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within 180 days after its effective date.
- These rules and regulations shall be published in accessible formats on the respective websites of the concerned agencies and through other necessary means.

Strict Monitoring and Implementation of This Act (Section 14)
- An Inter-Agency Council consisting of one (1) representative each from CHR, CWC, PCW, KWF, and FSL organizations or institutions shall be created to monitor and implement the Act.
- The Inter-Agency Council shall make an annual report on the monitoring and implementation of the Act, which shall be submitted to both Houses of Congress and published in accessible formats on their respective websites and through other necessary means.
- Failure to comply with any provision of the Act shall be referred to the Civil Service Commission, DILG, Sandiganbayan, Office of the Ombudsman, or other pertinent offices or bodies for appropriate sanctions pursuant to existing laws and regulations.

Appropriations (Section 15)
- The initial funding of the Act shall be taken from the current year's appropriations of the concerned agencies.
- Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
- Relevant and allowable expenditures related to education may also be charged to the ECCD Council, the LGU Special Education Fund, or other relevant fund.

Separability Clause (Section 16)
- If any provision of the Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Repealing Clause (Section 17)
- All laws and executive issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Effectivity Date (Section 18)
- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation.