Pasay city: The Supreme Court (SC) has announced the completion of the draft for the inaugural Rules on Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Interpreting in the Judiciary. This marks a pivotal advancement in making judicial proceedings more accessible to the deaf community.

According to Philippines News Agency, the draft was finalized by the SC Technical Working Group, chaired by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao and vice-chaired by Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez. The completion took place during a two-day writeshop held on July 10 to 11 at Lanson Place, Pasay City. This milestone concludes a series of meetings and consultations aimed at ensuring the draft rules are clear and aligned with the Judiciary's commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.

FSL interpreters and deaf individuals, who are also members of the TWG, were actively involved in the discussions during the writeshop. Their contributions were instrumental in ensuring that the rules accurately reflect their needs and experiences. Once the SC en banc approves the rules, they will be distributed nationwide through visits and dialogues with judges and court officials.

The new rules will mandate the presence of qualified FSL interpreters in court proceedings involving deaf individuals. This requirement ensures effective communication with judges, lawyers, witnesses, and other court users, affirming their right to equal access to justice. Justice Dimaampao underscored that this initiative serves the deaf community and aligns with the philosophy of service to others, echoing the words of Mahatma Gandhi.

Justice Dimaampao highlighted the primary goals of the FSL Rules: to guarantee the availability of qualified sign language interpreters in court, support effective communication between deaf individuals and court personnel, and remove barriers that hinder d/Deaf individuals from fully understanding and participating in judicial proceedings.