Iloilo City frontliners train on basic sign language

Personnel of frontline offices at the lloilo City Hall train on basic sign language. (Photo by Iloilo City HRMO via PNA)

ILOILO CITY – Around 70 front line personnel at the Iloilo City Hall have been equipped with knowledge on the basic sign language “to communicate effectively with their clients who have special needs.”

In an interview Saturday, Leo Elevencione, head of the city government’s Human Resource Management Office, said they have completed two batches already with around 35 participants per batch. The second batch was held October 11-12.

“This is part of the requirements of the CSC (Civil Service Commission) in Prime HRM (Human Resource Management) where supposedly we provide equal opportunity to our clients with special needs,” he said.

He added that participants enjoyed learning the basic sign language and they felt that two days were not enough and some even proposed for the training to run for five days.

The two batches will be the last for this year and they hoped to offer two to three batches next year to “enhance the skills of participants”.

Included in the training are basic sign language for the alphabet, basic greetings and how to entertain deaf-mute clients.

SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children (ISEC) prepared the module and also handled the training, together with teachers who are well-versed in sign language.

They also brought in deaf-mute students from SPED-ISEC for the actual training.

Elevencione said that to make sure participants will not forget their learning, there was a suggestion that they meet every two weeks to interact using the sign language.

Among those trained were personnel from the Business Process Licensing Office, City Tourism and Development Office, City Mayor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office, among others.