DFA Consular Office in San Fernando Pampanga Conducts Basic Sign Language Lessons for Personnel 

28 July 2023 – In commemoration of the 45th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week and the National Disability Month, the DFA Consular Office in San Fernando Pampanga conducted a one-week basic training on sign language for its personnel on 17 to 21 July 2023.  

The sign language lessons, which were facilitated by CO’s resident sign language translator Mr. Jonathan Y. Santos, focused on basic conversation for passport and apostille services to provide consular frontline personnel with additional skills and develop sensitivity as it continues to make its services friendly, convenient and inclusive. 

At the end of the week-long sign language lessons, the Consular Office personnel produced videos containing basic sign language conversations for passport and apostille, as well as a sign language visual song interpretation which may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VpE61-bLgM. These videos will be kept in the office’s digital library for future reference. 

Earlier this month, the consular office also celebrated “PWD Accessibility and Rights: Towards A Sustainable Future Where No One is Left Behind” through the inauguration of the “Special Care” counters for applicants with special needs which included a lowered processing counter that is conveniently accessible to applicants in wheelchair and those who have difficulty standing up during the processing interview and a wider encoding lot to fit a wheelchair.  

The Consular Office will continue its sign language lessons, particularly for its frontline personnel, as part of its “Lingap” program to further improve its services and promote inclusivity.  END