GOSPEL READING

November 15, 2020

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his
servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags
of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according
to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had
received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and
gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold
gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off,
dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled
accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold
brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five
bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You
have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you
entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You
have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’
he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have
not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was
afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what
belongs to you.’
Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I
harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered
seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the
bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with
interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has
ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an
abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken
from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the
darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
TOPICS

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARD OF HEARING AND DEAF

 FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARD OF
HEARING AND DEAF
 There is often confusion over the terms "hearing impaired," "hard of hearing," "deaf," and
"deafened," both in definition and appropriateness of use.
 The term "hearing impaired" is often used to describe people with any degree of hearing
loss, from mild to profound, including those who are deaf and those who are hard of
hearing. Many individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing prefer the terms "deaf" and
"hard of hearing," because they consider them to be more positive than the term "hearing
impaired," which implies a deficit or that something is wrong that makes a person less than
whole.
 "Deaf" usually refers to a hearing loss so severe that there is very little or no functional
hearing. "Hard of hearing" refers to a hearing loss where there may be enough residual
hearing that an auditory device, such as a hearing aid or FM system, provides adequate
assistance to process speech.
 "Deafened" usually refers to a person who becomes deaf as an adult and, therefore, faces
different challenges than those of a person who became deaf at birth or as a child.
 Deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing individuals may choose to use hearing aids, cochlear
implants, and/or other assistive listening devices to boost available hearing. Alternatively,
or in addition, they may read lips, use sign language, sign language interpreters, and/or
captioning.
 People who are deaf or hard of hearing may have speech that is difficult to understand due
to the inability to hear their own voice.
 Hard of hearing (HOH) refers to people who still have some useful hearing, and can understand
spoken language in some situations, with or without amplification. Most HOH people can use the
phone and use hearing aids. Deaf people, on the other hand, have little or no hearing. They may use
sign language of speech reading, and a hearing aid may help make speech understandable. People
who use spoken English to communicate are called “oral deaf.” Most deaf people lost their hearing
before they learned spoken language, and they see hearing loss not as a medical condition that
needs to be corrected, but as a cultural distinction.
 People who are “late-deafened” are those who lost all or most of their hearing during or after their
teen years. Most need sign language or speech reading to understand conversation, and cannot use
the telephone. In many cases doctors can’t determine what causes deafness later in life, but some
common causes include: exposure to loud noise, aging, meningitis, accidents/trauma, virus,
Meniere’s disease, and tumors of the acoustic nerve. If you experience a sudden drop in hearing,
unexpected dizziness, drainage from your ear, or significant pain in your ear or head—contact your
doctor.
 Acquired deafness is a traumatic loss, especially for people who lose their hearing suddenly. People who
are born deaf never feel this overwhelming sense of loss, because they never experienced hearing. But for
adults who become deaf, the sense of loss can be devastating. They may go through a grieving process that
lasts months or even years. This loss also strikes people who gradually experience hearing loss.
 Newly-deafened people often report a feeling of isolation and loneliness. But deafness does not mean that
your recreational or social life has to stop. You can still do many of the same things you used to do, just do
them differently.
 There are some special concerns for the elderly. The incidence of hearing loss increases dramatically with
age. One third of all people over the age of 60 and 50% of people over 80 have some form of hearing loss.
Hearing impairment in the elderly can seriously affect their safety, quality of life, and ability to live
independently. Some seniors are not comfortable with new technologies like assistive listening devices or
close captioned TV. The small controls on hearing aids may be hard to use. Seniors may be anxious about
being able to remain living at home, and may be unaware of safety alerting devices and other assistive
technology.
 The difference between being hard of hearing and being deaf lies in the degree of hearing loss that’s occurred.
 There are several different degrees of hearing loss, including:
 Mild: Softer or subtler sounds are hard to hear.
 Moderate: It’s hard to hear speech or sounds that are at a normal volume level.
 Severe: It may be possible to hear loud sounds or speech, but it’s very difficult to hear anything at a normal
volume level.
 Profound: Only very loud sounds may be audible, or possibly no sounds at all.
 Hard of hearing is a term that refers to someone with mild-to-severe hearing loss. In these individuals, some
hearing capability is still present.
 Deafness, on the other hand, refers to profound hearing loss. Deaf people have very little hearing or none at all.
 Deaf people and those who are hard of hearing can nonverbally communicate with others in several different
ways. Some examples include American Sign Language (ASL) and lip-reading.
SYMPTOMS

 Some of the symptoms of being hard of hearing can include:

 feeling like speech and other sounds are quiet or muffled
 having trouble hearing other people, particularly in noisy surroundings or when more than
one person is speaking
 frequently needing to ask others to repeat themselves or to speak more loudly or slowly
 having to turn the volume up on your TV or headphones
CAUSES

 Aging: Our ability to hear decreases as we age due to the degeneration of the structures in
the ear.
 Loud noises: Exposure to loud noises during leisure activities or at your workplace
can damage your hearing.
 Infections: Some infections can lead to hearing loss. These can include things like chronic
middle ear infections (otitis media), meningitis, and measles.
 Infections during pregnancy: Certain maternal infections can lead to hearing loss in
babies. These can include rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and syphilis.
 Injury: An injury to the head or ear, such as a blow or fall, can potentially lead to hearing
loss.
 Medications: Some medications can cause hearing loss. Examples include some types of
antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and diuretics.
 Congenital abnormalities: Some people are born with ears that haven’t formed properly.
 Genetics: Genetic factors can predispose someone to develop hearing loss.
 Physical factors: Having a perforated eardrum or a buildup of earwax can make hearing
difficult.
TREATMENT

 It’s important to see your doctor if you have hearing issues that interfere with your day-to-
day activities. Your doctor can do simple tests to check your ears and your hearing. If they
suspect hearing loss, they may refer you to a specialist for further testing.
 People who are hard of hearing can choose from among several different treatment
options. Some options include:
 Hearing aids: Hearing aids are small devices that sit in the ear and come in a variety of types
and fits. They help amplify sounds in your environment so that you can more easily hear what’s
going on around you.
 Other assistive devices: Examples of assistive devices include captioning on videos and FM
systems, which use a microphone for the speaker and a receiver for the listener.
 Cochlear implants: A cochlear implant may help if you have more severe hearing loss. It
converts sounds into electrical signals. These signals travel to your acoustic nerve, and the
brain interprets them as sounds.
 Surgery: Conditions affecting the structures of your ear, such as the eardrum and bones of the
middle ear, can cause hearing loss. In these types of cases, doctors may recommend surgery.
 Earwax removal: A buildup of earwax can cause temporary hearing loss. Your doctor may use
a small tool or suction device to remove earwax that’s accumulated in your ear.
 FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE

 Filipino Sign Language, hereinafter referred to as

FSL, is hereby declared as the national sign
language of the Philippines. The FSL shall be
recognized, promoted, and supported as the
medium of official communication in all
transactions involving the deaf, and as the language
of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice
to the use of other forms of communication
depending on individual choice or preference.
ORIGIN

 FSL is believed to be part of the French Sign Language family. It has been strongly influenced by
American Sign Language since the establishment in 1907 of the School for the Deaf and Blind (SDB)
(now the Philippine School for the Deaf) by Delia Delight Rice (1883–1964), an American Thomasite
teacher born to deaf parents.The school was run and managed by American principals until the 1940s. In
the 1960s, contact with American Sign Language continued through the launching of the Deaf
Evangelistic Alliance Foundation and the Laguna Christian College for the Deaf. Another source of ASL
influence was the assignment of volunteers from the United States Peace Corps, who were stationed at
various places in the Philippines from 1974 through 1989, as well as religious organizations that promoted
ASL and Manually Coded English.Starting in 1982, the International Deaf Education Association (IDEA),
led by former Peace Corps volunteer G. Dennis Drake, established a series of residential elementary
programs in Bohol using Philippine Sign Language as the primary language of instruction.The
Bohol Deaf Academy also primarily emphasizes Philippine Sign Language.
 According to sign language researcher Dr. Lisa Martinez, FSL and ASL deviate across three important
metrics: different overall form (especially a differing handshape inventory), different methods of sign
formation, and different grammar.
 On October 30, 2018, Republic Act 11106 or The Filipino Sign Language Act was signed
into law by President Rodrigo Duterte declaring the Filipino Sign Language as the national
sign language of the Filipino Deaf. The law also declares the country's national sign
language as the official sign language of the government in all transactions involving the
deaf.
 The law, which seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the Filipino Deaf,
also mandates the use of the Filipino Sign Language in schools, broadcast media, and
workplaces. It also mandates the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, in consultation with the
stakeholders, to establish a national system of standards and procedures for the
interpretation of the Filipino Sign Language. The University of the Philippines System and
other education agencies are tasked to develop guidelines for the development of training
materials in the education of the Deaf. The law also require the availability of qualified
sign language interpreters in all hearings, proceedings, and government transactions
involving the Deaf.
 “The FSL shall be recognized, promoted and supported as the medium of official
communication in all transactions involving the deaf, and as the language of instruction of
deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communications depending
on individual choice or preference,” the law states. The Department of Education (DepEd),
Commission on Higher Education (CHEd),
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and all other national and
local government agencies involved in the education of the deaf, are tasked to use and
coordinate with each other on the use of FSL as the medium of instruction in deaf
education.
 ISSUE

 In September 2018, Mocha Uson released another video

in which her group mocked the language of the deaf. In
the video, Uson's co-host blogger Drew Olivar
pantomimed sign language with Uson commenting
"Para kang unggoy diyan" (you're like a monkey there),
all the while laughing. Netizens and deaf groups
protested the video, with deaf people stating that it was
degrading to their condition, especially coming an
official from the government.
 The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) investigated a complaint filed by the Philippine
Federation of the Deaf, and described the video as "utterly appalling and unacceptable".
 Sign language is a form of communication that makes use of hand and body gestures for
people who are unable to speak due to disability.
 This should not be imitated or used to entertain and ridicule in any way. In particular,
Rule V of its amended version, Republic Act No. 9442, stated that “imitating a person with
disability in public gatherings, stage shows, carnivals, television shows, broadcast media
and other forms of entertainments” constitutes as public ridicule, which is a prohibited act.
 Violators of the provisions of this law shall face penalties of at least P50,000 or
imprisonment of at least six months. This would be up to the discretion of the court.
 FSL has been recognized as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf through the
Filipino Sign Language Act in October 2018. The law mandates that FSL be used in
transactions with the Deaf and as the language of instruction for Deaf learners.
 Communication remains as the main barrier of the Deaf to accessing equal rights and it
hopes to change this with the FSL Act.
 “Through this law, accessible communication will be available to us and in turn [it will]
open more [opportunities.],” George Lintag, vice president of the Philippine Federation of
the Deaf, Inc., told INQUIRER.net. “We will be able to make informed decisions, enjoy
life and meaningfully participate in the society on an equal basis with others.”
 Despite the passage of this law, the Deaf continue to fight for their rights, especially
regarding education and being taught in their mother tongue.
 “There is no specific mention nor implementation plan of FSL in the present K to 12
Department of Education Order (D.O. 21, series of 2019) despite the fact that the K-12
Law, Early Years Act, and FSL Act mandates the use of FSL as the medium of instruction
for Deaf children,” Lintag lamented.
 He stressed, “FSL is the natural language of the Deaf Filipinos and the language that they
can understand and identify the most.”
IN SUMMARY:

 The difference between being hard of hearing and being deaf lies in the degree of hearing
loss.
 People typically use being hard of hearing to describe mild-to-severe hearing loss.
Meanwhile, deafness refers to profound hearing loss. Deaf people have very little, if any,
hearing.
 There are many different causes of hearing loss, including aging, exposure to loud noises,
and infections. Some types of hearing loss are preventable, while others can be present at
birth or develop naturally with age.
 If you have hearing loss that interferes with your daily life, see your doctor. They can
evaluate your condition and may refer you to a specialist for further testing and treatment.
IN SUMMARY

 Filipino Sign Language or Philippine Sign Language, is a sign language originating in the
Philippines. Like other sign languages, FSL is a unique language with its own grammar,
syntax and morphology; it is neither based on nor resembles Filipino or English.
 Some researchers consider the indigenous signs of FSL to be at risk of being lost due to the
increasing influence of foreign sign languages such as ASL.