Deaf Awareness Week '98 Ends A Success

This yearly activity was spearheaded by the Philippine Institute for the Deaf through the leadership of its directress, Ms. Jullie Esguerra. Under the Presidential Proclamation No. 829 signed by Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Deaf Awareness Week in the Philippines will always be celebrated every 2nd Week of November each year. The venue was courtesy of the Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos through the supervision of Mr. Bong Bogayon, consultant for the Office of the Disabled.

Here are the events that went on during the week:

• November 8 (Sunday) - General Assembly, Ecumenical Service and Opening Program with Exhibits. Keynote Speaker was Senator Robert Jaworski. Late in the morning was fun games and Basketball Exhibition pitting the All-deaf Selection from different organizations with the All-star basketball team participated by actors Jay Manalo, Matt Ranillo III, Rez Cortez, Chuck Perez and others. The Deaf Team won.
• November 9 (Monday) - Open House and student exchange exhibits from different participating agencies. A free mobile ear clinic was put up at the lobby of SM Megamall to attend to people with hearing disabilities. 
• November 10 (Tuesday) - Centennial Quiz Bee was held at the Mandaluyong Sports Complex. Deaf participants competed against their hearing counterparts on the following levels; Elementary, Secondary and Collegiate. The lone MCCID student-participant, Marinela Veras got a silver medal for the Tertiary level.
• November 11 (Wednesday) - Exhibits were held on various participating agencies.
• November 12 (Thursday) - Press Forum was held at the Hotel Sofitel. 
• November 13 (Friday) - CAP College SFD held a Seminar on AIDS Awareness for the deaf.
• November 14 (Saturday) - Awards Day. Winners from various categories were recognized and given plaques and gift certificates. 

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This year's theme was "Deaf Awareness and Coping with Deaf Abilities in this Modern Age" was graced by the former Department of Trade and Industry Secretary, Jose Concepcion during its first day while Manila Mayor Lito Atienza gave the keynote speech on the following day.

Visitors especially from the deaf community were amazed by the different products, designs, paintings and innovations done by the hearing impaired. Sculptures, computer graphics and modern gadgets in helping the deaf were shown to the people making them aware that the Deaf has enormous capabilities. Selected exhibitors were Filipino Deaf Innovation and Creativity, Discovetron Industry, DRCB, Teatro Silencio Pilipinas, Deaf Women Club, LARIX Club, Clemente Delim and Deaf Youth Association.

Chairman Taylor explained that this will be a continuous activity for the Deaf. The next Exposition will be held in the year 2000 and two years thereafter. They are now focusing their efforts in joining the World Deaf Expo in the year 2002. MCCID instructor and MCCID Alumni Association President Mr. Oscar Purificacion is the overall treasurer and in-charge of the computer graphics and decorations.

The Supreme Court has sentenced him to death using lethal injection last May 1997 despite the fact that the trial court made no attempt to ensure that he understood the proceedings against him. In the Amnesty International website cited that in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the Philippines is a party, states that the defendant has the right to be informed “in detail in a language which he understands of the nature and cause of the charge against him” and “to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court”. During the trial no one - not even Marlon Parazo's court-appointed defence lawyer - made any reference to his disabilities. Despite this violation of his right to a fair trial, the Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence in May 1997.*

Marlon Parazo, aged 27, was born into poverty in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Profoundly deaf and mute since birth, he is effectively isolated from ordinary contact with society and is only able to communicate with his family through touch and gestures. He has never learned any official form of sign language and is unable to read or write, having received only two months' schooling at the age of seven. In the Philippines, there is little or no provision for special schooling for the disabled.*

Marlon Parazo's case has now been taken up by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), a leading association of human rights lawyers. In May 1998 his new lawyer submitted an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court, urging that his death sentence be overturned on the basis that he could not possibly have received a fair trial as he could neither hear nor understand the charges against him, nor speak in his own defence. The lawyer also maintained that, given his disability and learning difficulties, it was extremely unlikely he had understood the gravity of the charge against him or the severity of the penalty he faced. FLAG have also called for the case to be sent back to the lower courts to determine, after both physical and psychiatric examination, whether Marlon Parazo is competent to be tried in court.*

Amnesty International urges all of us to show our concern by writing to the President of the Philippines or Chief Justice of the Supreme court to overturn the decision.

* - taken from Amnesty International Website:

http://www.amnesty.it/ailib/aipub/1998/ASA/33500798.htm

MCCID ONLINE Launched

This new look would make navigation and search for the web site easier and more user friendly. If you have some comments, suggestions, additional help coming from us, please feel free to e-mail us or our web masters Ervin R. Reyes (deaf), Jojo I. Esposa Jr. (hearing) and Marlon Jason Mascarenas (deaf).

According to Esposa, due to the economic slowdown a number of companies have begun retrenching, the first casualties being the PWDs. "There were several instances that deaf employees were outperforming their hearing counterpart but were still laid off. It's as if they could easily do without them," Esposa said.

For more details, get a copy of the November issue, visit their web site or go directly to the Feature story at: http://www.pcworld.com.ph/backissues/pc1198/features/article1/index.html

Our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Sylvia P. Syguenza and Emir P. Samonte for helping us air our side.

NewHoo was recently acquired by Netscape Communicationsa and will soon be included on its Netcenter Portal. Please visit their web site at http://home.netscape.com or the NewHoo at http://www.newhoo.com.