Filipino Sign Language
Filipino Sign Language | |
---|---|
![]() National Historical Committee marker for the Philippine School for the Deaf and the Blind | |
Native to | Philippines |
Native speakers | 121,000 (2008) to est. 325,000–650,000 (2021)[1] |
French Sign
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | psp |
Glottolog | phil1239 |
Filipino Sign Language, abbreviated as FSL (
The Republic Act 11106 or The Filipino Sign Language Act, effective November 27, 2018, declared FSL as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf.[5]
ASL influence
FSL is believed to be part of the
According to sign language researcher Dr. Lisa Martinez, FSL and ASL deviate across three important metrics: different overall form (especially a differing handshape inventory), different methods of sign formation, and different grammar.[4]


Status
Usage of Filipino Sign Language was reported in 2009 as being used by 54% of sign-language users in the Philippines.
Filipino Sign Language Act

In September 2018, Senate Bill No. 1455, sponsored by Senators
, passed on third and final reading.On October 30, 2018, Republic Act 11106 or The Filipino Sign Language Act was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte declaring the Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf. The law also declares the country's national sign language as the official sign language of the government in all transactions involving the deaf.[16]
The law, which seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the Filipino Deaf, also mandates the use of the Filipino Sign Language in schools, broadcast media (instructing the
"The 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, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communications depending on individual choice or preference," the law states. The Department of Education (DepEd),
The law became effective on November 27, 2018[16] while its implementing rules and regulations was approved in 2021.[20]
Legal issue
On June 1, 2024, the coalitions of Philippine Federation of the Deaf and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) protested at Liwasang Bonifacio against the Commission on the Filipino Language's (CFL) plan to abolish its Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Unit. According to ACT, the CFL, led by its chairman Arthur P. Casanova, decided to abolish the unit after some of the unit's members requested the release of their salaries. The members said the abolition will effectively layoff the deaf personnel, "thus, depriving Deaf Filipinos of their language rights and violating the mandate of RA 7104".[21][22]
See also
- Deafness in the Philippines
- The Thomasites
- International Deaf Children's Society
References
- ^ Filipino Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ "Filipino Sign Language". Repositoryo ng mga Wika ng Pilipinas. Komisyon sa WIkang Filipino.
- ^ Hammarström, Harald; Forke, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2020). "Philippine Sign Language". Glottolog 4.3.
- ^ a b c Martinez, PhD, Liza (December 1, 2012). "Primer on Filipino Sign Language". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "PRRD inks Filipino Sign Language Act into law". Philippine News Agency. November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement." Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée 10:1.215–88.[1]
- ^ A century of absolute commitment – The Manila Times Internet Edition (archived from the original on February 25, 2007)
- ^ Abat, Rafaelito M., and Liza B. Martinez. The History of Sign Language in the Philippines: Piecing Together the Puzzle, Philippine Federation of the Deaf / Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Philippine Linguistics Congress, Department of Linguistics, University of the Philippines, January 25–27, 2006, 8 pages (PDF), retrieved on: March 25, 2008 (archived from the original[permanent dead link] on July 28, 2011)
- ^ Education, July 17, 2012, International Deaf Education Association, retrieved on August 25, 2014.
- ^ The Founder And History Archived August 18, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, August 16, 2012, International Deaf Education Association, retrieved on August 25, 2014.
- ^ Academics Archived October 18, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Bohol Deaf Academy, retrieved on August 25, 2014.
- ^ Calls made for a national language for the deaf – The Carillon (archived from the original on March 25, 2012)
- ^ a b House Bill No. 450 : Explanatory Note Archived February 13, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Congress of the Philippines, July 1, 2013.
- ^ The right of the deaf to their language, Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 16, 2011.
- ^ Hon. Tinio, Antonio L : HOUSE MEASURES SPONSORED/AUTHORED Archived January 3, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on May 29, 2014.
- ^ a b An Act Declaring The Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language of the Filipino Deaf and the Official Sign Language of Government in All Transactions involving the Deaf, and Mandating its use in Schools, Broadcast Media and Workplaces – The Philippine Official Gazette
- ^ Ranada, Pia (November 16, 2018). "New law orders gov't, schools, media to use Filipino Sign Language". RAPPLER. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ Duterte Signs Filipino Sign Language Into Law – ABS-CBN News
- ^ Duterte Signs Filipino Sign Language Act – Inquirer News
- ^ Cervantes, Filane Mikee (December 9, 2021). "House leader hails approval of IRR of Filipino Sign Language law". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ Cruz, Norman (May 31, 2024). "Don't abolish Filipino sign language". Manila Standard. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Marcelo, Elizabeth (June 1, 2024). "CFL slammed over plan to abolish sign language unit". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
External links
Media related to Philippine Sign Language at Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography
- Video
- Mi Ultimo Adios in Filipino Sign Language[1]
- Philippine National Anthem in Filipino Sign Language[2]
- Silent Odyssey: A Journey into the Deaf World[3]
- Filipino Sign Language GMANews TV Documentary[4]
- Text
- An Introduction to Filipino Sign Language (PDRC/PFD, 2004)
- Filipino Sign Language: A Compilation of Signs from Regions of the Philippines (PFD, 2005)
- Status Report on the Use of Sign Language in the Philippines (NSLC)
- Filipino Sign Language (PEN International, DLS-College of St. Benilde) downloadable PDF Archived October 23, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
- Republic Act 11106 downloadable PDF
- ^ First Ever Filipino Sign Language Interpretation of Rizal's Poem – Mirana Medina, Filmmaker
- ^ Philippine National Anthem in Sign Language – Planet Eye Traveler
- ^ Filipino Filmmaker Showcases Deaf Community – Mirana Medina, Filmmaker
- ^ Filipino Sign Language (in Filipino), GMANews TV Documentary Report