𝐒𝐏𝐂 𝐈𝐒𝐎 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲

San Pedro College’s (SPC) International Student Organization (ISO) spearheaded Project SIGNS: Supporting Inclusion and Growth through Nonverbal Skills, on Oct. 5 at the SPC Audio-Visual Room (AVR), with other attending schools from Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC), and University of Mindanao (UM).

Upholding the theme “Gleaming in Silence: The Power of Signs,” the program intended to bolster sign language learning and communicative inclusion of the Deaf community.

Internal Vice President Regina Camille Lobino welcomed the participants to the seminar-workshop, followed by an introduction of the guest speaker.

During the discussion, guest speaker Nilo Lumanag Jr. highlighted the key aspects of Deaf culture, its inclusivity, and the nuances of communication through sign language.

“Sign language is not just a gestural language; it is their linguistic and cultural identity,” Lumanag said, addressing the demand for proper accessibility of the Deaf community in societal aspects.

“Kami being interpreters, we are not fighting for ourselves; we are advocating for the rights of the Deaf community. Kasi through sign language, they are being empowered. They are given a stand and authority for their own lives. They are given tools to express themselves… We are supporting them,” he added.

(𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴; 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴… 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.)

In the workshop segment, guest speaker Agatha Joy Lacambra led the participants in a hands-on learning session on basic Filipino Sign Language (FSL).

She guided them step by step through the basic greetings, affirmations, interrogatives, and various words used in the language.

After the session, they engaged in an activity called Sign Relay to test their current FSL mastery.

Lumanag also taught the participants how to use sign language in song interpretations like the “Happy Birthday” song and other common nursery rhymes.

To wrap up the event, Moderator Romelle Hilamon expressed her deep enthusiasm and gratitude for finally kickstarting Project SIGNS, encouraging participants to practice their learnings outside the campus and apply them within their respective communities.

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