Question & AnswerQ&A (IRR OF Republic Act No. 11106)
The title is The Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11106, also known as the Filipino Sign Language Act (FSL Act).
The purpose is to prescribe procedures and guidelines for the implementation of the Filipino Sign Language Act to facilitate compliance and achieve its objectives.
All concerned national government agencies (NGAs), bodies, instrumentalities, government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and various public sector entities are covered, including equivalent units in autonomous regions.
The State shall promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, uphold respect for their dignity, individual autonomy, and independence, guarantee accessibility, eliminate discrimination, and ensure full participation and inclusion in society.
FSL is the visual language used by Deaf Filipinos, which has evolved naturally since the 1590s. It is distinct from spoken Filipino, is a visual-spatial language with no orthographic system, is rule-governed in phonology, morphology, syntax, and discourse, influenced by American Sign Language but distinct from it.
Government agencies must adopt appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures to recognize and support the cultural and linguistic identity of the Filipino Deaf, declare FSL as the national and official sign language for transactions with the deaf, equip employees with understanding of FSL and Deaf culture, publish FAQs and service information in FSL online, and allocate necessary financing and resources.
The KWF shall promote the creation of a National Information and Communication Policy for the Filipino Deaf and FSL, set minimum standards for instruction, testing, interpreting, translation, and development of materials in FSL, and work towards establishing standards, accreditations, and procedures for FSL interpreting.
A national system of standards, accreditations, and procedures for FSL interpreting will be established including training, continuing education, professional development, assessment, accreditation, policies on practice, compensation rates, working conditions, grievance procedures, and a code of ethics. Deaf Relay Interpreting is also included.
FSL shall be adopted as the medium of instruction for deaf learners from early education, basic education (K-12), technical-vocational education, and higher education. Various agencies like DepEd, TESDA, CHED, and PRC shall coordinate to develop policies, provide qualified interpreters, adopt inclusive education, and promote recruitment of Deaf teachers.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will review policies on teacher licensing, provide alternative licensing procedures as affirmative action, ensure assessments are accessible and culturally fair, and promote licensing and deployment of Deaf teachers across various education platforms.
The Department of Justice, Judiciary, DILG, and other relevant agencies must declare FSL as the official language in all proceedings involving deaf Filipinos, provide qualified sign language interpreters, formulate standards for interpreting and communication assessments like VCAD, compile case data involving deaf persons, and implement related policies for accessibility and inclusion.
The Civil Service Commission shall declare FSL as the official sign language in the civil service and government workplaces, promoting recruitment and training of FSL interpreters, conducting personnel audits, and creating plantilla positions to ensure sufficient interpreting services.
The DOH shall declare FSL as the official language in all its offices and health facilities for transactions involving the deaf, review and enhance health policies and training to integrate FSL, ensure barrier-free services especially in priority health areas, designate Deaf-FSL consultants, and monitor provision of qualified interpreters and accessible materials.
These agencies must declare FSL as official in their offices for programs involving the deaf, review and enhance policies to ensure implementation of the FSL Act, designate Deaf-FSL consultants, engage with Deaf organizations, develop policies for qualified interpreters and accessible materials.
The PSA shall issue policies for FSL inclusion and within one year, create a database mapping deaf Filipinos, disaggregated by gender and age. It will gather data on education, justice, health, workplaces, media, and public services, as well as numbers of qualified interpreters and support personnel for proper resource allocation.
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) shall declare FSL the official language for broadcast media interpreting, coordinate on standards and accreditation for interpreting, ensure accessibility in programming, develop disaster advisories accessible to deaf viewers, develop policies for qualified interpreters, and engage Deaf consultants to enhance quality.
The FSL Inter-Agency Council, composed of representatives from various government bodies and FSL organizations, serves as the main coordinating and monitoring body. It ensures government awareness, oversees implementation, directs agencies to report, and prepares annual reports on compliance and progress for Congress and the public.
Under the separability clause, if any provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts of the Rules and Regulations not affected shall remain in full force and effect.