BAGUIO CITY – Thirty employees of the various offices of concerned government agencies and the local government completed a two-day Filipino Sign Language Communication Training held at a hotel along Naguilian road on June 10-11, 2025.
Dr. Samuel G. Aquino, head of the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), said that the said training is part of the ongoing efforts to make the local government inclusive in providing for the needs of a sectors, especially the members of the vulnerable and marginalized sectors like the persons with disabilities (PWDs).
He claimed that the skills and knowledge that were imparted to the attendees will allow them to be able to effectively and efficiently communicate with the members of the deaf community and attend to their needs when transacting business with the different offices of the various government agencies and the local government.
The two-day training was facilitated by Persons with Disability Affairs Officer I Karen Lang-ay, Sign Language Interpreter Christopher Catbagan and government internship program (GIP recipient Lhone Ezekiel Sango, a member of the city’s deaf community.
The trainees were provided with the skills on Filipino sign language for them to be able to deal with the members of the deaf community when they visit their respective offices to bring to the attention of the government issues and concerns of the sector that needs to be addressed by the said offices.
Aquino expressed hope that the trainees will be able to do their part to help the PDEAO in attending to the needs of the PWDs and ensure the inclusivity of the sectors to the various programs, projects and activities of the concerned government agencies and the local government.
He assured the attendees of the training that the PDAO is willing to continue extending whatever assistance that their respective offices will need to further improve their skills on Filipino sign language for them to improve their skills and knowledge to deal with the members of the city’s deaf community. By Dexter A. See
