On The Sublime Paralytic: “Very inspiring!…touching!” says DFA Director

DFA OPAS Director Lenna Sison, Master of Ceremonies introduced OPAS Executive Director Mardomel Celo Melicor who gave the welcome remarks

“Very inspiring. Actually, I know a little about his life after he got captured so it was nice to know what happened to him after the capture. And your presentation [treatment] of Decalogo is beautiful — profound [reading in] Tagalog [Filipino language] simultaneous with interpretation [in Filipino Sign Language] plus the English subtitles — I felt more its significance. It was touching! I fully appreciated how Mabini’s mind and heart worked.” [Original recorded statement: Very inspiring! Actually kakaunti alam ko about his life after he got captured so it was nice to know what happened to him after the capture and maganda ho pagkakapresent ninyo ng Decalogo eh! like malalim yung Tagalog tapos sabayan pa yung interpretation [FSL] plus yung English na subtitles, mas naramdaman ko significance nya. Nakakatouch! Na appreciate ko nang husto kung papano rin nagwork ang mind ni Mabini – mind saka heart.] This was Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Personnel and Administrative Services Director Ms. Lenna Sison said when asked for her reaction after the screening of The Sublime Paralytic held at DFA’s CMOAS Rm. yesterday afternoon.

Ang Pangatlo sa 10 Tunay na Utos. Abner Manlapaz, PWD leader reads with one of the two Deaf students who interpreted it in FSL. El Verdadero Decalogo is presented in multilingual, multitract form: Reading in Filipino, Subtitles in English and interpreted in Filipino Sign Language.

Ms. Sison’s reaction just proved how important and powerful communication is to anyone. The oral [voice narration], textual [subtitles or caption] and visual-gestural [sign language] modes of communication effectively worked well in her. Through them, the message succeeded in getting deeply through in the hearts and minds of the audience, like Ms. Sison, including perhaps the Deaf and the Blind. A group of Deaf employees at DFA led by Ralph Torralba, [Hard-of-Hearing] attended. They enjoyed watching it they said because of the FSL interpretations which made them come to learn more and know Mabini better.

The audience before the special screening starts. Febe Sevilla [foreground] interprets for the Deaf. Muneer Peña [PWA] sits with the group.

When I introduced the film, I told the audience that hopefully after watching the documentary, Mabini would stop just being a statue seated at the ground floor of DFA Main Bldg. Appreciation of his great contribution to our country, and gratitude to him after knowing him a little more than just the fellow on the 10-peso coin are the reactions I am hoping for from those who would watch it. He was a great statesman, and a courageous one despite his disability. High hopes! but if there are those who would feel that way, then I would have succeeded in achieving one of my aims before embarking on this project which took me a year to finish.

Deaf Employees of DFA led by Ralph Torralba, second from left; From R – L: Bert de Santos, docu’s sound designer, Mr. Rizalio Sanchez, Information Chief of the National Council and Disability Affairs and Febe Sevilla, one of FSL interpreters in the film

MM between Mr. Rizalio Sanchez [R] and Bert De Santos [L]

Thanks to OPAS Asst. Secretary Noel Servigon for the opportunity to share the film to DFA personnel. I did not meet him though because he was in Iloilo at that time. In 2012, he was supportive of our film, ULTIMO ADIOS in FSL when selected as the lone Philippine entry in the Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival. He helped in promoting the film and welcomed us [Giselle Montero and I] at the Hong Kong Consulate. Unfortunately, then Charge d’affaires in Ankara, Turkey, now Director of African Affairs Leilani Feliciano was not able to come because of important meetings she had to attend. Luckily, I met her days before the show. In 2013, she graced our film showing event in Istanbul as our guest speaker. She later hosted my stay in Ankara, Turkey for a couple of days.

With DFA Deaf employees, organizers from DFA Office of Personnel and Administrative Services, Jan Peña of ASP with Muneer and Mr. Rizalio Sanchez of NCDA

Also, thanks to soft-spoken Ms. Anna Arzadon who served as our liaison [DFA and me], Ms. Thelma Sta. Ana and Ms. Jazmin for their assistance. And of course, to Jan Peña for the coordination work with PWD leaders Architect Jaime Silva and NCDA Information Chief, Mr. Rizalio Sanchez who managed to attend.

The Sublime Paralytic premieres on August 27, 2015, 4pm, at DLS-CSB ARG Theater, Taft Campus, Manila. For inquiries, contact DLS-CSB School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies.