Support Filipino Sign Language Act of 2012 - House Bill 6079

#8: Anika -

what you are saying is like, "hey, Filipino shouldn't be taught in the schools, because its grammar is not formal."

take this example:

Filipino: "Mahirap ako kasi wala akong trabaho."
English: "Poor me because no me work." (that's a direct, word for word translation, and in your point of view, we could clearly say that Filipino grammar is wrong? No, absolutely not. The grammar is simply different.

Now, as hearing people, who are we to say that FSL does not follow a formal grammar? Can't it not be their grammar and not ours? Of course. In the same way that Filipino does not follow English grammar, FSL does not need to follow it either, and should not. The world is a place rich with language, and each one deserves respect. I think it is high time that the Filipino Deaf be able to decide for themselves in which language they wish to learn. Why force upon an entire group of people to learn using a signed system (SEE) that was developed by hearing people after the Milan Conference of 1880? If you would read about the oppressive history that led up to the emergence of SEE, perhaps you would understand this much better. 

I do sincerely hope that in the near future, we see FSL in the classroom being used by Deaf students and teachers alike.

More power :)