Comelec to bets: Use sign language in ads

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from other campaign regulations, candidates in the coming May elections are required to put Filipino sign language (FSL) interpretations and close captions in their political advertisements.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez yesterday reminded candidates about the requirements for political advertisements since most of them are apparently not complying with them.

According to Jimenez, Comelec Resolution 10488 mandates the implementation of the FSL Law in political advertisements in the mass media.

He noted that under the resolution, candidates and parties are “required to incorporate sign language interpreters and closed captioning in broadcast election propaganda intended for exhibition in television and/or the internet.”

In the same resolution, he said, candidates are also encouraged to ensure the availability of their respective printed campaign materials in Braille.
The FSL Law requires the use of sign language interpretations in broadcast and online media as soon as the standards have been set.

However, Jimenez clarified that this requirement may be withdrawn on request of media entities, noting that the commission en banc is now looking into the request of some networks to not implement the requirement for now.

He cited request of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) for the removal of the requirement “because the law is just new and there is no standards for its implementation yet.”

The KBP claimed that some broadcasting corporations are not yet equipped to comply with the requirement. Some networks also allegedly lack the capability to provide close captioning.

“The request is already with the commission en banc. We are looking forward to a responsefrom the en banc in due time,” Jimenez said.