FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

First Regular Session

~~ ~~~~~ __

INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The democratization of access to quality education particularly for children

and youth with special educational needs such as the gifted, the gifted but
physically handicapped, the fast learners, the mentally retarded, the visually-
impaired (blind), the hearing-impaired (deaf), the orthopedically-handicapped, the
speech defectives, those with behavioral problems, those with learning
disabilities and those with special health problems and others has not received
as much attention as it should have.

The progress of special education has been hampered by various

constraints. Besides the lack of classrooms, physical facilities and special
equipment suitable to the needs of the disabled, the death of specially trained
teachers and school administrators for the various exceptionalities has remained
a perennial problem. As of 2005, only 4,673 teachers across the country have
been trained for the abovementioned children and youth with special needs, one
reason why only less that 2% of the total number of these minors can be served.
Parent education is an urgent need in the campaign to enhance hone-school
relationships and to maximize their scene of competence and involvement in the
education of their handicapped and as well as the gifted children.

Over the years, the government has worked for the improvement of the
delivery system despite and against any constraints. These efforts can only be
sustained if they are anchored on a legal mandate that fully support and ensures
the continuity of long-term programs to help develop the potential of handicapped
and gifted persons. In this way, self-reliance that has been wanting among the
handicapped who are potential assets to themselves and to the country could be
developed.

With the advent of the worldwide movement of "Education For j "' (EFA),
adequate provision for the education of the handicapped and the' gifted will
contribute to the achievement of its objectives which emphasizes the eradication
of illiteracy, greater effectiveness of learning for all and the acquisition of basic
skills, knowledge and attitudes to empower them for a better quality of life.

To provide, therefore, for the educational needs of the gifted and the
handicapped children and youth through a positive program of action and as an
expression of the deep concern and to give fuller meaning to the democratization
of education towards their upliftment, this bill is recommended for immediate
approval.
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 7 JUL -4 pig :!9
First Regular Session

Senate Bill No. 955

INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR

AN ACT
TO EXPAND AND REVITALIZE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR
GIFTED AND HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - There shall be established a

comprehensive educational program for children and youth with special needs in

the pre-elementary, elementary, secondary and post secondary levels throughout

the country with the following essential program components:

a) Educational diagnosis and assessment essential in

the proper identification of these minors

b) Teacher-education (pre-service an a continuing in-

service training) for teaching and non-teaching personnel to

ensure staff competence;

c) Expanded curriculum development and evaluation to

meet the diversifies needs of the clientele; and

d) Continuing research as basis for the improvement of

instruction at all levels and in planning and service

programming activities including the purchase of special

facilities and equipment.

 SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this bill, the

following terms are operationally defined:

a) Children with behavioral problems - those who cannot adjust to the

socially accepted norms of behavior and, consequently, disrupt their academic

progress, the learning efforts of their classmates and interpersonal relations. The

two categories of children with behavior problems are:

1) The socially maladjusted - they are chronic juvenile

offenders who regularly disregard broader social values and rules

as a matter of course, substituting in their stead the values and

rules of their peer group. Their accepted code of conduct is truancy,

fighting and defiance against constituted authority.

2) The emotionally disturbed - those who, although not

afflicted with insanity or mental defect, are unable to maintain

typical social relations with others and the community, in general,

due to emotional problems or complexes.

b) Children and Youth - persons below twenty-one years of age except

those emancipated in accordance with law.

c) Fast learner - one who is endowed with an above average intellectual

capacity.

d) Handicap - a disadvantage of a given individual resulting from an

impairment or disability.

e) Handicapped individual - any individual who has a physical or mental

disability, which for such individual constitutes or results in a substantial handicap

to employment and can reasonable be expected to profit from training or

vocational rehabilitation.

f) Hearing impaired - one who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. The deaf person

is one whose hearing is non-functional for ordinary purposes of life. The hard-of-

hearing has a sense of hearing which, although defective, is functional with or

without a hearing aid.

 g) Learning disability - a disorder in one or more of the basic

psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken

or written, which may manifest: itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak,

read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such

conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction,

dyslexia and developmental aphasia. The term does not include children who

have learning problems which are primarily the result ofvisual, hearing or motor

handicaps, of mental retardation, or of environmental, cultural or economic

disadvantage.

h) Mentally gifted and talented - one who is identified at the preschool,

elementary or secondary level as possessing demonstrated or potential abilities

that give evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual,

creative, specific academic, or leadership ability, or in the performing and visual

arts, and who by reason thereof, require services or activities not ordinarily

provided by the school.

i) Mentally retarded - one who possesses significantly sub-average

general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with impairments in adaptive

behavior and manifested during the developmental period.

j) Orthopedically handicapped - one whose impairment permanently or

temporarily interferes with the normal functions of the joints, muscles or limbs.

k) Special education - the education of persons who are physically,

mentally, emotionally, or culturally different from the so-called “normal”

individuals such that they require modification of school practices and services to

develop them to their maximum capabilities.

It is a special service over and above the regular school program to meet

the unique needs of a handicapped child.

I) Special Education Center - is an administrative unit serving

children/youths with special needs which:

1) serves two or more types of children with special needs;

 2) is administered by a SPED trained principallhead or any

qualified staff

3) provides special education services.

m) Special education teacher - any teacher who handles a class of

children with special needs or renders special education services whether he is

formally trained or trained through in-service training, seminars and workshops.

n) Special health problems - refer to such health conditions that tend to

keep children out of school: chronic andlor debilitating illness like cardiac (heart)

diseases, asthma, diabetes, TB and other respiratory ailments, carcinoma

allergy, epilepsy, malnutrition, and others.

0 ) Special Schools -an educational unit that:

1) serves only one exceptionality

2 ) may or may not be residential

3) has its own appropriation

p) Speech defectivelhandicapped - one whose speech differs from the

average so far as to draw unfavorable attention to the manner of speaking rather

than to the thought conveyed.

q) Visually impaired - one who is blind or partially sighted. A person is

blind if he has a visual acuity of 201200 or less in the better eye after maximum

correction. The partially seeing person retains a relatively low degree of vision

and can read only enlarged print or who has some remaining vision thereby

making it possible for him to read limited amounts of regular print under very

special conditions.

SECTION 3. Organization. - Every school division shall organize special

classes for gifted and handicapped children and youth. The organization of

preschool classes for these minors shall be strongly encouraged to ensure early

educational intervention.

Every school division shall also organize special education centers which

shall include non-formal and outreach program for out-of-school youth.

 SECTION 4. Special Services. - Special schools and special education
centers shall offer a range of special services which shall include medical,

psychological and social services, diagnostic counseling, vocational and

recreational services. Regular schools with special education classes shall

likewise provide the above services, among other services.

SECTION 5. Secondary Education. - Special schools shall provide

continuing or post secondary education services and programs for the gifted and

the handicapped especially for those who cannot avail of educational

opportunities in regular colleges and universities.

SECTION 6. Skills Training. - Vocational education and training shall be

provided and strengthened to render the handicapped children and youth more

skillful and competitive in the labor market.

SECTION 7. Teacher Items. - The present items of teachers now

handling special education classes shall be reclassified to special education

teachers items whenever requirements are met. Items for special education

supervisor in each school division and each regional office and principal or

Special Education Centers shall be created for effective administration and

supervision of the special education program.

SECTION 8. Teacher Training. - All teacher training institutions, public or

private, offering Bachelor degree in Education shall offer Special Education

courses as basic knowledge to students in teacher education.

SECTION 9. Authority of the Secrefary of Education, Culture and Sport -

The Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports is charged with the

administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Act and shall promulgate

and issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations.

Hekhe is hereby authorized to adopt an ad hoc structure under his office

to intensify the supervision and development efforts in special education at all

levels, including out-of-school children and youth. Such structure will remain until

the DECS can afford to establish a more permanent structure.

 SECTION I O . Appropriation. - The sum of Twenty Million Pesos

(P20,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the funds in the

National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to carry out the provisions of this

Act. Thereafter, adequate sums as may be necessary to sustain and maintain the

program mandated in this Act shall be included in the budget of the Department

of Education, Culture and Sports in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. In the event that any provision of this

Act, or a part or parts thereof is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the

remaining provisions or parts thereof shall be considered valid and binding for

the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - Any laws, acts, decrees, order,

proclamation or regulation or part or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this

Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effecfivify. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general publication.

Approved,