The Registry of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment (RIDE) opens for the second time its special Sign Language Courses to parents of deaf students of its sister school, the Angeli Dei Schools.
Four parents of deaf children from preschool enrolled the Basic 1 Class under my strict supervision. These very enthusiastic parents are none other than Mrs. Elizabeth Gonzales, Mrs. Jocelyn Lim and Mr. & Mrs. Gladwyn and Dolly Gutierrez. The class started last July 21, 2004 and culminated in October of the same year. They were evaluated by Sir Jun Celada, RIDE’s Chief Executive Officer.
For their Basic 2 class, these same parents, except for Mr. Gutierrez were joined by Mrs. Angela Olivarez. Mr. Gilberto Ferrer, Jr. is currently taking up his Basic 1 Tutorial Class under Sir Jun Celada during Wednesdays while Mrs. Carolina Domingo joined the regular Basic 1 class scheduled every Saturday together with Mrs. Angela Olivarez who also enrolled to refresh her Basic signs.
To all the parents struggling to learn the language of their beloved children, may you continue to be our partners in deaf advocacy!
Fresh from the 1 st Skills Enhancement Seminar for Certified SL Interpreters, RIDE had finally embarked on its mission and vision to produce highly qualified SL Interpreters in the country. Were you one of those who had apprehensions after you receive your Certificate as Certified Sign language Interpreter? Worry not because RIDE does not stop to give continued services to its graduates. In fact, RIDE had been very busy lately with a lot of commitments with the different Deaf Agencies who need Interpreting Services. These activities gave exposures and skills training to better improve the competency of its pool of Certified SL Interpreters.
Conference Topics include: Settings for Interpretation ( Educational, Medical, Mental Health and Legal Settings); Interpreter’s Skills and Competencies; Filipino Sign Language (FSL), Sign-to-Voice & Voice-to-Sign Interpreting; Be Natural: A Glimpse of Meaning- Based Signing. The Facilitators, composed of very competent and experienced deaf advocates include Alfredo Celada Jr, RIDE CEO; Michael S. Potian, Ma. Teresa Buenaventura, Joy Cristal and Lily Pardo. It was always a different experience to be a part of this team. All the participants benefited a lot from these seminar workshops.
The seminar was designed to give continued exposure in Sign Language Interpreting. As the seminar progressed, it had given us the participants a deeper sense of commitment to become true advocates of the deaf community. Our understanding of the Deaf Culture also widened. It had given us the opportunity to understand better, a person with hearing impairment.
Apart from the rigorous trainings and workshops, of course we enjoyed the camaraderie arising from the group. With the “pasaways” like Emelie, Irene, Bubby, Nemz and Cris in the group, there was never a dull moment. Well, we all had pieces of entertainment, laughter, and angelic moments especially when Lily Pardo was the facilitator. Somewhat, we were tamed at some point, but still we were able to get away from her strictness by laughing it off after the session. WE love you Lily. We indeed learned a lot not only from you but from all our facilitators.
For those of you who have missed this seminar workshop, worry not because, it will still be offered in the near future. Do not miss the chance of attending this workshop because it will definitely change your perspective about being a Committed Sign Language Interpreter and as a person serving the Deaf Community. As Miss Tess Buenaventura and Joy Cristal said, it took them more than a decade to have finally understood the deaf. They did it by being committed and dedicated to their mission and vocation of serving the deaf. Kudos to all of you for enlightening us and for opening our eyes to the deaf World.
As part of its culminating event, the participants did a mini concert to showcase their talents in the performing arts during the Culminating Program last September 11, 2004 at Angels Institute of Learning. Ride is not only known for its competent and dedicated SL interpreters, but also as great performing artists. Once again. Congratulations RIDE for this worthy endeavor. Expect more in the future.
Makati City- RIDE CEO Alfredo Celada Jr together with RIDE’s Registered Sign Language Interpreters recently participated in the celebration of Persons With Disabilities Day (PWD) held at San Carlos Seminary in Makati City last Sunday, December 5, 2004. This outreach program was under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Manila in cooperation with Caritas Manila. Participants came from various SPED Schools, NGO’s and other institutions catering to the marginalized sector of the society. This year’s theme “Pinoy na may Kapansanan, Kapuso at Kapamilya kay Kristo” aptly described how the society should treat the differently abled as members of the Christian community.
Children and adults with hearing impairment, visual impairment, down syndrome, autistic, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities actively participated in the Eucharistic celebration, program, games, arts, and story-telling sessions.
Aside from these activities, there was also a medical mission. The free medical, dental, ENT check-up was made possible with the participation of the volunteer doctors, specialists and other professionals directly involved in the medical mission. Since there were a lot of participants with hearing impairment, the assistance of sign language interpreters was really needed. RIDE Sign Language Interpreters were assigned in the medical mission. The interpreters assisted in the registration, medical check-up, dental services, audiological services, ENT services, and in the distribution of medicines. It was really a challenge specially for the new interpreters to assist the deaf in relaying the messages to the doctors; and vice-versa, conveying to the deaf the doctors’ prognosis/diagnosis.
Kudos to Sir Jun who painstakingly coordinated with Ms. Elisa and Ms. Pam of AMO PDM, the persons in-charge of the event in accommodating and assisting the RIDE interpreters. The interpreters who were present namely, Ma’am Letty Uy, Ma’am Sonia, Teacher Mike Potian, Emelie Gentalian, Heddy Casanas, Judith Delgado, Chris Sabayan, Ina Francisco, Ludy Manalastas, Cynthia Lopez, Nemia Abiday, Bing Hipolito, Ma’am Eva R. Eva, and Dra. Catherine Tuazon performed their assigned tasks to the best of their skills and abilities.
It was another learning experience for the interpreters to interact and have a hands-on exposure in medical sign language interpreting. This was the second time that RIDE Interpreters has joined a medical mission. It was not only a fulfilling activity but also a rewarding experience for the interpreters to be of service to our brothers and sisters with different handicapping conditions. We can proudly say that RIDE is always ready, willing, and able to lend a helping hand should sign language interpreting services are needed. Supporting activities and rendering services to the differently- abled members of our society is indeed a Christian virtue which we should develop among ourselves.
By Ludy Manalastas
To celebrate the spirit of sharing, we RIDE interpreters joined two separate Christmas parties last December 19, 2004 with deaf friends from Antipolo City and Marikina City respectively. In the morning we joined the Antipolo group headed by its moderator, teacher Angie Enriquez. The party was held at the Daughters’ of St. Anne Convent in Cubao, Quezon City . The sisters of the convent headed by Sr. Severina Loria, DSA sponsored the party.
The event aimed to gather deaf and other adopted children of the convent to build camaraderie, foster friendship with one another, and to experience the joyous spirit of Christmas.
The whole day affair started with a mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Dennis Soriano. It was followed by a “salu-salo” where everybody shared their food. Various games and activities for the deaf were facilitated by RIDERS. We were so exhausted, but it was really amusing and fascinating watching those children enjoying themselves and having great fun regardless of their handicap.
Before leaving for Marikina , we also left our gifts for the deaf community of Antipolo through teacher Angie.
We arrived at Conception parish in Marikina just right on time for the 5 o’clock p.m. mass. After the mass, we all went to the Parish Multi-Purpose Hall for the party.
There we had another “salu-salo”, which was followed by a series of games for the deaf. We facilitated the whole event through the help of Catholic Layman Association of the Deaf moderator, Mr. Rick Quing. We were able to shower them with prizes and gifts given by RIDE’s generous sponsors and donors.
No matter how simple and traditional the party was, we were able to share our time and support. We were able to bring them joy and fun during the party. But, most importantly, we were there to show them that a handicap is not a hindrance into one’s happiness in life and that… LOVE is the real meaning of Christmas!
Written by: Nemz H. Abiday
The celebration of the Holy Mass with sign language interpreters at the Immaculate Conception Parish, Marikina City, is one of the major projects of RIDE. The project is a brainchild of Fr. Raymond Decipeda of the Marian Missionaries. The idea struck him when he was visiting in Bacolod and he attended a mass with an interpreter signing to a crowd of deaf people.
So in the summer of 1997, Fr. Raymond took a special course in Basic 1 sign language at RIDE for two weeks. After finishing the course, he moved to have a regular mass using sign language in the Marikina parish. He sought the help of Alodia C. Zatarain, bookkeeper and sign language interpreter of the Southeast Asian Institute of the Deaf to supply him the addresses of deaf people residing in Marikina. He even announced his new project during his mass in the parish every Sunday for the whole month of May last year.
Then on June 1, 1998 at 5 p.m., the first mass with sign language started. There were only three deaf persons. The interpreters were Ma. Lilia L. Alagde and Alfredo S. Celada Jr. The next week there were 15 deaf persons present.
On July 19, 1998, the Catholic Laymen’s Association of the Deaf (CLAD) was formally created as the official name of the deaf community. Its objective is to form an association of deaf individuals that espouses the Catholic faith. It was established to foster unity among deaf individuals, to promote the Catholic faith among the deaf by setting good examples, to promote spiritual, moral and social values to serve a group advocacy in the promotion of the general welfare of the deaf and to help in the empowerment of deaf individuals.
In 1999, Fr. Augustine Aldana of the Marian Missionaries took over as CLAD’s spiritual leader replacing Fr. Raymond, who was transferred to Bacolod City. He studied the basics of Sign Language in order to communicate with the deaf community.
In 1999, Fr. Augustine Aldana of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross took over as CLAD’s spiritual leader replacing Fr. Raymond, who was transferred to Bacolod City. He studied the basics of Sign Language in order to communicate with the deaf community.
Last June to October 2002, sign language practicum students from RIDE started interpreting at the parish as part of their training.
Last July 6, 2003, Fr. Edmund Galicia of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross took over as CLAD’s spiritual leader succeeding Fr. Augustine, who was also transferred to Bacolod City after 4 years of stay in Marikina City. Right now he is adjusting to the deaf community and plans to study Sign Language in order to communicate with them.
Written by: Fr. Raymond Decipeda, MMHC – The Founder of CLAD