MCCID again became part of the historic event by participating as one of the sign language interpreters and Deaf consultants during the President Benigno Aquino III’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) before the joint congress opening session held at the House of Representatives last July 23, 2012
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MCCID Training Director Jojo Esposa interpreted at TV5 together with Ms. Liza Presnillo of Philippine National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (PNASLI). Deaf participants include MCCID Students’ Moises Libot and Regina Grace Buenaventura with PFD Officer George Lintag.
Presnillo is a resident interpreter of TV5. She regularly interprets the news and public affairs programs “T3” and “Aksyon Balita”. It was Esposa’s first time to interpret in the said TV station. He previously signed at GMA-7 for the past two years.
It has been customary for all Philippine Presidents to address the opening of the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. This time, he spoke in the entire event in Filipino language. He cited his government’s successes for the past two years in alleviating poverty as well as his plans and priority bills for the next fiscal year.
As quoted from Deaf E-News Blog site:
“We hope that more news programs will provide inset interpreting in the future,” Mr. Rey Lee, President of the Philippine Federation of The Deaf, Inc. (PFD) was keen to emphasize. “We are currently setting up meetings with the Department of Education as well to discuss the use of Filipino Sign Language in the school curriculum.”
Interpreting for SONA has been one of the noteworthy and pioneering activities of Dela Salle – College of St. Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies. Other members of the interpreting team include John Baliza, Tess Buenaventura, Weng Rivera, Aldrin Gabriel, and Mackie Calbay composing Team ANC (Abs-cbn News Channel) and Joi Villareal, Rainer Blas, Rey Lee, Carol Dagani, and Joyce Dalawampu of Team GMA News Online.
