Erline Grace Maniquis, who goes by the name "Deafinitely Beautiful" on Tiktok, is one of the few Deaf Filipinos teaching sign language on the video-sharing platform with her hearing mom.

To date, the 18-year-old Maniquis' videos have garnered 3.3 million likes and 103,000 followers, as she tackles topics like her experiences as a Deaf Filipina and translating words and phrases to the Filipino Sign Language (FSL).

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"[Na-encourage] tuloy siya sa mga nagko-comment, parang 'yun na lang tinuloy niya. Minsan nagpapaturo ng sign language, minsan nagtatanong kung may boses siya," Maniquis' mother Erlinda told ABS-CBN News, as she interpreted for her daughter.

(She was encouraged by those commenting to start her own Tiktok account. Sometimes they ask her to teach them sign language, others are curious if she has a voice.)

Hearing mom, Deaf daughter

The older Maniquis said she found out her daughter was Deaf when she was just 8 months old.

"Sometimes I would throw things, make a sound. She does nothing, no response," she explained in a TikTok video.

Watch on TikTok

After she was diagnosed with severe deafness, the younger Maniquis was given the opportunity to wear hearing aids but often took them off because she felt uncomfortable.

"Naka-acquire na kami ng hearing aid niya eh, sa PCSO. Kaya lang, tinatapon niya talaga kasi maingay, naiingayan talaga siya," the older Maniquis explained.

(We already acquired her hearing aid through PCSO. However, she would take it off because she found it noisy. It was really noisy for her.)

She then was taught sign language at school, which she later taught to her family, too.

FSL vs ASL

In the Maniquis household, FSL is their way to communicate with the only Deaf member in the family.

"Kapag sa house, FSL kasi mga shortcut 'yung terms noon eh unlike ASL," the older Maniquis said.

(At home, we use FSL because it has shortcuts for terms, unlike ASL.)

Despite being similar, FSL is an entirely different language compared to the American Sign Language (ASL).

Deaf Filipinos understand FSL better because its grammar, syntax, and idioms are, for the most part, reflective of the Filipino culture.

Watch on TikTok

Although fluent in both forms of sign language, the younger Maniquis said she preferred to teach others about FSL instead of ASL.

"Kasi Pinoy tayo. Kaya dito dapat FSL kasi 'yung mga Deaf... 'Yung FSL more on shortcuts eh kasi meron sila 'yung isang word, naiintindihan na sa kanila," she signed.

(We are Filipinos so we should use FSL. It has shortcuts for words that could be understood by Deaf Filipinos.)

In 2018, Republic Act 11106 was signed into law which declared FSL as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf.

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Despite this, the younger Maniquis said that until now, the FSL still needed a lot of recognition among the Filipino Deaf and hearing community.

Teaching on TikTok

The younger Maniquis said she hoped that teaching FSL on Tiktok could make communication more inclusive for both the hearing and Deaf communities.

"Gusto ko i-promote 'yung sign language para maka-communicate 'yung hearing at saka sa Deaf, at saka para ang Deaf, hindi ma-bully," she signed.

(I want to promote sign language so that the hearing and the Deaf could communicate, and the Deaf would not be bullied.)

A so-called "Scholarship Prank" trend on social media recently showed some people pretending to be deaf and/or mute and pretending to use sign language.

Internet trends such as this could be damaging to the Deaf community, said Maniquis, adding that this was the reason why she went to TikTok to educate more people.

"Gusto ko maging pantay ang pagtingin sa Deaf community," she signed.

(I want the Deaf community to be viewed fairly.)

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Meanwhile, the older Maniquis said it was important for parents with Deaf children to learn the sign language as well.

"'Yun talagang importante, 'yung pumasok ka sa mundo nila," she said.

(It is important to enter their world.)