FEU Academy promotes inclusive communication

The FEU Manila community gathered last Feb. 10 at Interactive Room 207A of the Admissions Building for “TAM Signs: Building Inclusive Conversations through Sign Language,” an interactive workshop aimed at introducing the basics of Filipino Sign Language (FSL) and fostering a more inclusive campus environment. 

Held in two sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., the workshop equipped students with foundational skills in FSL, including the alphabet, numbers, fingerspelling, greetings, polite expressions, pronouns, question words, professions, places, colors, days of the week, adjectives, and time expressions. 

The event featured deaf trainer Aedrian T. Quiambao, a leader and advocate with over a decade of experience in deaf education and interpreter development, alongside registered sign language interpreter Rowena G. Lazo and certified interpreter and educator Daisy Yulo Ku, all accredited by the Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. 

Central to the discussion was Republic Act No. 11106, also known as the FSL Act, which declares FSL as the national sign language and mandates its use in schools, government offices, workplaces, and broadcast media to ensure accessibility for Deaf Filipinos. 

For Monette Escasinas, a psychology student, the workshop sparked a meaningful realization during Ms. Lazo’s storytelling.  

“How are they able to communicate what they truly feel?” Escasinas wondered in Filipino, reflecting on how D\deaf individuals may struggle to fully express their emotions when communication barriers exist. She emphasized that learning sign language should be as important as learning spoken languages, noting that inclusive communication means ensuring no one is left unheard. 

Celine Anon from the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management described learning FSL as both similar to and different from studying foreign spoken languages. While memorization of the alphabet and vocabulary was familiar, she found precision to be the most challenging aspect.  

“The placement and movement of the hands and fingers, along with facial expression and mouth movements, all matter,” she said. The experience, she added, taught her patience and heightened her awareness of the barriers deaf individuals face daily. 

Reez Albances, also a psychology student, underscored that inclusivity requires effort and empathy.  

“What is inclusivity without effort of trying to empathize and understand?” Albances explained that sign language breaks boundaries in socialization and promotes equality in relationships by recognizing deaf individuals as naturally social beings rather than categorizing them by their disability. 

For Rafael Avendaño, workshops like TAM Signs play a crucial role in university settings.  

“Universities are not only a place to excel academically; it is also a place to build connections, become mature and empathetic,” he said. Avendaño believes that continued seminars on sign language can expand students’ skillsets while promoting respect for diverse modes of expression beyond oral communication. 

More than technical skills, the workshop encouraged students to introduce themselves using fingerspelling and present their sign names, reinforcing that inclusive communication begins with intentional action. 

As TAM Signs concluded, participants were reminded that inclusivity is not merely a concept but a commitment—one that starts with learning to communicate in ways that ensure every member of the FEU community is seen, heard, and understood.