(b) Deaf Teachers. – To promote the licensing and mobilization of deaf teachers in
formal education as well as alternative learning systems, the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) together with teacher education programs nationwide are directed
to employ alternative assessment procedures as affirmative action measures which
shall consider the conditions, abilities, and social barriers of the deaf teachers. These
procedures shall be language-appropriate and culture-fair to deaf education graduates.
(c) FLS in Teacher Education Programs. – In the context of inclusive education and
Universal Design, the learning of FSL shall be a curricular or co-curricular offering in
teacher education programs as deemed appropriate.
(d) Training and Evaluation Programs. – All national and local government agencies and
centers providing education to deaf students are hereby tasked to undertake regular
pre-/in-service training and evaluation of their teachers. These shall be designed and
taught in partnership with the representative of the Filipino deaf community.
The University of the Philippines (UP), together with the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
(WKP), professional sign linguistics and linguistics researchers, in collaboration with the
CHED and the DepEd, and the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD)
Council, shall develop guidelines for the development of training materials in the
education of the deaf for use by all state universities and colleges (SUCs), as well as
their teachers and staff.
Section 5. Standards for Filipino Sign Language Interpreting. – The KWF, with the
involvement of the deaf community and other stakeholders, shall establish a national
system of standards, accreditations, and procedures for FSL interpreting, without
prejudice to other forms of communication which respect the right of a deaf person to
accessibility, and to seek, receive, impart ideas on an equal basis with others according
to their choice. This shall include policies on the practice of interpreting as a profession
such as compensation rates and benefits, working conditions, procedures for
grievances and others.
Section 6. Filipino Sign Language in the Justice System. – The FSL shall be the official
language and 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, quasijudicial agencies, and other tribunals are hereby mandated to ensure the availability of a
qualified sign language interpreter in all proceedings involving 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.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), and the Judiciary, with the involvement of the deaf community and
other stakeholders, are tasked to create a national system of standards, accreditation,
and procedures for legal interpreting in FSL.
Section 7. – Filipino Sign Language in All Workplaces. – The FSL shall be the official
language of the Filipino deaf employed in the civil service and in all government
workplaces. For this purpose, all government offices shall take reasonable measures to
encourage the use of FSL among its deaf and hearing employees, including the conduct
of awareness and training seminars on the rationale and use of FSL.
The UP, together with the KWF, professional linguistics organizations and deaf
linguistics researchers, shall formulate guidelines for the development of training
materials for the employees of the DOJ, the Judiciary, the Department of Health (DOH),
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Philippine
Commission on Women (PCW), the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), and the
Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in the conduct of the mandates and activities of
these concerned offices.
Section 8. Filipino Sign Language in the Health System. – State hospitals and all health
facilities shall take steps to ensure access of the Filipino deaf to health services,
including the free provision of FSL interpreters and accessible materials upon request of