SENATOR Nancy Binay is asking the academe and government agencies to lead in the implementation of the Filipino Sign Language Act which President Rodrigo Duterte recently signed into law.
“Nanawagan po ako sa Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino at iba pang concerned agencies na madaliin ang paglalabas ng IRR upang maagang mapakinabangan ng ating mga deaf ang batas na ito, lalo na ang pagtuturo ng FSL sa mga paaralan,” she said.
Binay who was in Cebu on Friday said that “FSL should be taught to everyone in schools regardless if there’s a deaf person on campus or not.”
“FSL should be inclusive because sign language is also a basic conversational language,” she added.
Republic Act No. 11106 mandates that the FSL be recognized, promoted and supported as the medium of official communication in all transactions involving those who are hearing impaired.
The law mandates all government agencies and government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to use FLS in transacting with them.
Qualified interpreters and materials should also be provided whenever necessary or requested in activities conducted by government agencies and GOCCs.
“Mas magiging katuwang na natin ang deaf sa nation building dahil mas mapapadali na ang transactions nila sa gobyerno,” said Binay, who is the primary author of the law.