At the 2025 League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) CSR Expo, Oscar M. Lopez (OML) Center took the stage for the session “From Misconceptions to Meaningful Inclusion: Co-Producing with the Deaf Community.” The presentation, held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City on July 2, 2025, featured OML Center knowledge production manager Alfi Lorenz Cura and Deaf leader Carolyn Dagani. 
The session highlighted one of the center’s flagship initiatives, Project SIGND or Climate Resilience of the Deaf: Signs for Inclusive Governance and Development, which seeks to help build the adaptive capacity of the Deaf to climate and disaster risks.
Cura presented real-world scenarios where Deaf individuals are left behind in climate and disaster response. “Imagine a tropical cyclone warning being announced on major television. If they cannot hear it, how would they know that danger is coming? Or picture an evacuation center with no FSL interpreters. How would they know where to go and what to do?” he asked.
He emphasized that only one out of every 10 persons with disabilities in the Philippines receives the support they need. “That means the majority, including many Deaf Filipinos, face climate-related risks on their own. Through Project SIGND, we’ve taken steps to increase Deaf inclusion by developing Filipino Sign Language signs or FSL specifically for climate and disaster-related terms, helping bridge communication gaps,” he added.
To increase the capacity of Deaf individuals, Deaf membersof the project were trained in key areas such as climate change, technical writing and digital tools like the ELAN software used for video annotation and documentation.
Dagani, former lead for inclusion of Project SIGND, tackled common misconceptions about the Deaf community. She also explained that FSL is a distinct visual language and not merely a gestured Filipino spoken language. She clarified the difference between “Deaf ” as a cultural identity and “deaf ” as a medical condition and urged everyone to refrain from using offensive terms like “deaf and dumb” or “deaf-mute” when referring to Deaf people.
The session concluded with a strong message: inclusion should not be an afterthought—it is essential and should be integrated into our everyday lives. Project SIGND demonstrates that true resilience is only possible when no one is left behind.
Story by: Mae Anne Mangubos
