The recently-held national elections made history for being one of the most peaceful. It was also historic in the sense that the televised debates were accessible to Filipinos with hearing disabilities, a fact that didn’t escape Carolyn Dagani, the president of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf. She told CNN Philippines that she was happy because she and other deaf individuals could participate. And now, a senate bill has been approved, requiring TV stations to provide captions in their programs.
The Republic Act No. 7277, or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), has existed since 1992, where TV stations were encouraged to put captions or sign language insets in news programs, but the key word there is encourage.
With Senate Bill 2239, franchise holders or operators of television stations and producers of television programs are required to broadcast or present their programs with closed captions option to benefit persons with hearing disabilities, including but not limited to newscast or news programs and pre-scripted programs.
The bill was drafted on May 27, 2014, and passed its third reading on May 23, 2016. It is authored by Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Grace Poe, Sen. Bam Aquino IV, and Sen. Cynthia Villar.
Bam Aquino’s Facebook page released the news:
GOOD NEWS! Senate approves SB 2239, a bill requiring all franchise holders or operators of television stations and producers of television programs to broadcast or present their programs with closed captions option to benefit persons with hearing disabilities, including but not limited to newscast or news programs and pre-scripted programs.
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