Filipino Sign Language has finally landed in the Bible!
The Philippine Deaf Sign Language Association (PDSLA) in partnership with the Philippine Bible Society (PBS) launched an initial thirty-two of the well-loved Bible stories in Filipino Sign Language Video format during its dedication/launch held on February 23 at the PBS Ministry Center. They also distributed DVD copies of the stories for free to the guests and visitors. MCCID was represented by its Training Director Jojo Esposa Jr.
Of the 32 titles, twelve are taken from the Old Testament stories while the remaining twenty are from the life and times of the Lord Jesus Christ starting from His birth up to the fellowship of His disciples. PDSLA and PBS formed the Filipino Sign Language Bible Translation Project in 2013 which aims to make God’s Word available to Filipino Deaf in a language that they fully understand.
MCCID has been an institutional member of PDSLA since 2017. It has participated in many of its activities like the 3rd PDSLA Summer Workshop held at SIL Center in Quezon City last 2018. Students’ Hans Danielle Vidal and Dheen Jan Octavio represented the school in the workshop.
All the Bible stories are signed by deaf persons who are prominent within the Filipino Christian Deaf community. They are Ptr. Mamerto Cortez Jr. of DEAF Laguna and MCCID Quezon Province Branch, Ptr. Peter Ding Basa of Assembly of God in Cavite and the husband and wife team of Ptr. Jose Irish and Joylyn Pascual from Bible Institute for the Deaf in Valenzuela City. Their signs, as well as a near accurate translation of the Bible stories in FSL, were reviewed and validated by Bible Translation experts from the Filipino Deaf community, the Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association, Summer Institute of Linguistics Philippines and the Philippine Bible Society.
As a partner-member, Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf also provided inputs and evaluation on the videos when their team visited the school in 2016.
