MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) En Banc has approved the Rules on Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Interpreting in the Judiciary, a landmark set of guidelines aimed at ensuring equal, meaningful, and effective access to justice for d/Deaf Filipinos.

The rules implement Republic Act No. 11106, or the Filipino Sign Language Act, and will take effect on December 15, 2025.

The FSL Rules apply to all court proceedings involving deaf or Deaf individuals at any stage of litigation, affirming their right to choose their preferred mode of communication.

Clarifying “deaf” and “Deaf”

The Rules distinguish between:

• “deaf” (lowercase d) — Filipinos with hearing loss who may or may not use sign language or identify with the Deaf community;
• “Deaf” (uppercase D) — Filipinos who use FSL and identify as part of the Deaf community.

The SC emphasized that all Filipino Deaf are deaf, but not all deaf Filipinos are Deaf, an acknowledgment meant to uphold linguistic and cultural rights.

Appointment of interpreters

Courts are mandated to appoint accredited FSL interpreters and, when necessary, Deaf Relay Interpreters (DRIs)—Deaf individuals who assist in communication between linguistically isolated deaf persons and hearing non-signers.

To ensure impartiality, courts are barred from appointing interpreters with conflicts of interest, such as those with familial, financial, or professional ties to the party or witness.

The Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) will provide all courts with an updated annual list of accredited interpreters.

Visual Communication Assessment

If the court finds that a d/Deaf individual may not be proficient in FSL, they must be referred within three days to the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) for a Visual Communication Assessment for the Deaf (VCAD) to determine their primary language and communication needs. The VCAD report must be submitted within 10 days.

However, if the individual demonstrates proficiency in FSL, they may sign a waiver and proceed with an interpreter directly appointed by the court.

Courtroom protocols and remote interpreting

The Rules set detailed procedures for courtroom interpreting, including:

• interpreter positioning,
• access to case records,
• video recording of d/Deaf testimonies.

Remote interpreting is allowed when no accredited interpreter is available on site, for brief non-testimonial hearings, or when safety risks exist.
However, in-person interpreting remains mandatory for complex proceedings, cases involving d/Deaf children, multiple d/Deaf participants, or situations where technical conditions make remote interpretation inadequate.

Courts must also meet specific audio-video standards to ensure clear communication.

Handling errors and objections

If interpreting errors arise, the court must confer with counsel and interpreters to determine whether the error is substantial. When objections occur during testimony, interpreters must signal the d/Deaf participant to pause until the judge issues a ruling.

Interpreter accreditation and discipline

The OCA will accredit interpreters based on:

• Filipino citizenship,
• residency,
• good moral character,
• KWF-issued certification on training and examination (once available),
• proof of interpreter training or at least three prior court interpreting engagements,
• affirmation of no criminal conviction involving dishonesty.

Accreditation is valid for three years, with renewal requiring at least 24 hours of continuing education.

Pending the KWF’s establishment of national standards, certification and examination requirements will not yet be mandatory; alternative proof of training or experience may be submitted.

Interpreters may be removed for incapacity, dishonesty, breach of confidentiality, failure to appear without valid cause, or willful violation of rules. The OCA may revoke accreditation upon its own review or based on KWF recommendations.

Drafting and implementation

The Rules were crafted by a Technical Working Group chaired by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, with Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez as vice chairperson.

The FSL Rules were published in two newspapers of general circulation and on the SC website on November 29, 2025, and will take effect on December 15, 2025.