Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Mr. Jun Celada, PAIDE CEO, gave his welcome remarks and introduced his team members spearheaded by Mr. Michael Potian, the Sign Language Training Officer of PAIDE; Ms. Sonia Lodado; Ms. Emelie Gentalian and Ms. Nemia Abiday.

PAIDE as sign language training institution in the Philippines was introduced to the participants by Mr. Potian. Orientation and overview of the 2 day sign language program and Deaf awareness followed. Ms. Gentalian taught the participants the manual alphabet; members of the family and song interpretation of “Lupang Hinirang”.

Ms. Lodado discussed the causes and prevention of deafness and strategies in teaching the deaf. Ms. Abiday presented numbers, colors and shapes with matching music/videos; another song interpretation, “My Valentine” and prepared “ice breakers” for the morning and afternoon sessions.

Sir Jun; Ms. Sonia and Ms. Emelie took turns to interpret for the deaf evaluators: Cristy Rivero; Ivy Pearly Buray; Muffy Gaya and Benjie Calatrava.

For day 2, participants had the recap of the 1st day’s lesson/activity and were later given evaluation of sign language thru written exercises.

It was a very successful event attended by 16 participants together with their school principal, Mr. Ricardo B. Delos Santos and Mrs. Amelia S. Lacsamana, the school division supervisor.

Thumbs up PAIDE Trainers and Evaluators! We’re going places…

Yes! It was made possible thru the collaborative effort of PAIDE and the USAR-Unified Search and Rescue Academy.

Disaster Risk Reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and reduce the causal factors of disasters. Reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improving preparedness for adverse events are all examples of disaster risk reduction.

Four adult deaf leaders namely: Cristy Rivero; Ivy Pearly Buray; Muffy Gaya and Benjie Calatrava had the time of their lives to be trained by highly skilled officers of USAR-Unified Search and Rescue Academy. They were trained in environmental survival; water safety; bandaging; methods to carry; spine board management with splinting and safety line camp out. Sir Jun Celada served as their interpreter for the 2 day training held at JACAH Resort in Alfonso, Cavite on February 18 and 19, 2012.

These four Deaf leaders had expressed their gratefulness for the sponsorship provided by PAIDE and USAR-Unified Search and Rescue Academy for the disaster risk reduction training. They were very grateful to be given this rare opportunity to take the challenge of what other normal hearing persons can do. The training gave them much confidence that they can also be of great help to their fellow Deaf and hearing counterparts.

Once again, it was been proven that “Deafness is a challenge and not a hindrance”.

Cheers to Cristy; Ivy; Muffy and Benjie!

Fresh from the very successful sign language training orientation and deaf awareness held at JACAH Resort last February, Sir Ric de los Santos, the principal of Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) National High School requested PAIDE to have the Basic Sign Language course be offered in CAA National High School in preparation for the opening of SPED deaf class this school year.

Mr. Michael Potian, PAIDE Sign Language Training Officer was tasked to conduct the Basic 1 Sign Language training program to 25 faculty and staff members from March 12 – April 21, 2012. The whole day of April 21 was scheduled for sign language evaluation in the morning and the culminating program in the afternoon.

PAIDE team once again gave their full support to the sign language training program conducted outside of PAIDE training center. Ms. Cristy Rivero, Mr. Welsh Lozano, Mr. Benjie Calatrava, Mr. Ronald Subiaga and Ms. Judith Ruperto evaluated the trainees for their song interpretation while Ms. Sonia Lodado, Ms. Nemz Abiday and Sir Jun Celada evaluated the trainees their signing skill.

The culminating program started at 2:00 in the afternoon. The school’s guidance counselor, Mrs. Melania Gogorza delivered her welcome message which was interpreted in sign language by Mr. Vincent Erispe, one of the trainees. Masters of Ceremony for the program was Ms. Nemz Abiday and Mr. Michael Potian. Trainees who passed the sign language evaluation with flying colors presented their song interpretation. All trainee-participants received their Basic 1 sign language course certificate of completion.

Mr. Mike and Ms. Judith delighted the audience with their performances of love songs in sign language. Sir Jun gave his closing message and encouraged the basic 1 trainees to continue learning and loving the language of the deaf.

Everybody was treated with a sumptuous snack right after the program.

Mr. Michael S. Potian, PAIDE S-L Training Officer had his second time to visit Malaysia not for a pleasure trip but for another sign language interpreters’ skills assessment and educational interpreting workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The very first one was November 4 and 5 of 2011 wherein he administered interpreter skills assessment to 10 sign language interpreters. The second time was last May 25 for 3 sign language interpreters who joined the 1st ever series of interpreters’ training program last May 26 and 27 under the Philippine Association of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment (PAIDE) and the RC Deaf Missions Malaysia.

Assisted him during the assessment was RC Deaf Missions Malaysia Evaluation team spearheaded by Ms. Agnes Peter, the Director of RCDMM together with the 2 deaf evaluators namely: Low Chai Yun and Susie Ng.

For the 1st weekend of the 4 weekend’ series of the interpreters’ training workshop, Mr. Potian presented thru power point, lectures on deaf awareness; history of sign language and workshops in fingerspelling techniques; song interpretation and educational interpreting. Both Low Chai Yun and Susie Ng and another 2 deaf RCDMM staff participated in the 2-day training workshop with 8 other interpreter-participants.

Ms. Agnes Peter had this to say: “I believe our participants benefitted much from the teachings. The fingerspelling techniques were most useful. They are all looking forward to next training in September. Thank you very much. This training is excellent” (sent thru e-mail dated June 4, 2012).

In behalf of PAIDE community, I congratulate you Mr. Michael Potian for a job well done! More to come…

Filipino Sign Language (FSL), is the national deaf sign language of the Philippines and is now included in the Sign Language Training Curriculum of PAIDE. FSL is believed to be part of the French Sign Language family and has been strongly influenced by American Sign Language.

Inclusion of the said FSL was made possible thru the help and participation of Ms. Catherine Joy Patriarca as one of PAIDE’s sign language trainers. CJ, a deaf and an FSL advocator is in-charge of the FSL training here at the Philippine Association of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment. She will also be joining our roster of facilitators for “SIGN-LAB” with the objective of enhancing the interpreting skills of PAIDE sign language interpreters both in expressive and receptive.

CJ was welcomed last June 29, 2012 by PAIDE CEO, Sir Jun Celada in a meeting with PAIDE Sign Language Trainers: Ms. Sonia Lodado; Mr. Michael Potian, Ms. Nemia Abiday and the Deaf Evaluators: Cristy Rivero, Welsh Lozano and Benjie Calatrava.

FSL will be first introduced on the following dates: June 30 and July 7, 2012 in Basic 2 class; July 14 and 28 in Intermediate class; August 4 and 11 in Prep. to Interpreting class and August 18 and 25 in the Interpreting class for this season and will definitely be offered as a course in the succeeding years.

Our warmest welcome to you CJ and the FSL…