Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. __ 
Introduced by Representatives JOCELYN P. TULFO, RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO, and 
EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL CARE AND SUPPORT PLAN FOR CHILDREN 
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PROVIDING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND WELFARE, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The proposed Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children with Special 
Needs Act seeks to address the systemic challenges faced by children with special 
needs (CWSNs) in the Philippines, including those with autism, Down syndrome, 
cerebral palsy, and other developmental disabilities. Despite existing laws like RA 
7277 (Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities) and RA 11650 (Inclusive Education 
Act), significant gaps remain in healthcare access, education, and social inclusion. 
Many CWSNs lack affordable therapies, diagnostic services, and specialized 
education, while stigma and discrimination persist in communities and workplaces. 
This bill aims to create a comprehensive national care plan to unify and strengthen 
support systems for CWSNs, ensuring their rights and needs are fully met. 
The bill's primary objectives include establishing a holistic support system that 
integrates early intervention, education, and healthcare services. It mandates 
inter-agency collaboration among the DOH, DepEd, DSWD, and LGUs to streamline 
efforts and eliminate fragmentation • in service delivery. Additionally, it introduces 
measures to combat discrimination through public awareness campaigns and stricter 
enforcement of anti-discrimination policies. Key provisions of the bill include a 
centralized registry of CWSNs under the DSWD to ensure targeted aid, expanded 
Special Education (SPED) programs with trained teachers and adapted curricula, 
and PhilHealth coverage for developmental screenings, therapies, and assistive 
July 31, 2025
3:24 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.____ 
Introduced by Representatives JOCELYN P. TULFO, RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO, and 
EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL CARE AND SUPPORT PLAN FOR CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PROVIDING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND WELFARE, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. 
1 
This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children 
2 
with Special Needs Act." 
3 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. 
4 
The State affirms its paramount role in protecting and upholding the rights of all 
5 
children with special needs. It is committed to fostering their well-being and 
6 
ensuring their full integration into mainstream society. To achieve this, the State 
7 
recognizes the imperative to legislate for the unique needs of these children. It 
8 
commits to institutionalize comprehensive policies and programs that will: 
9 
●
Increase public awareness and understanding of special needs.
10 
●
Develop clear and consistent pathways for early detection and diagnosis.
11 
●
Provide access to quality education and meaningful employment
12 
opportunities, enabling children with special needs to live independently
13 
within their communities.
14 
●
Minimize and ultimately eradicate discrimination.
15 
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● Enable the private sector to offer vital services that complement 
1 
government initiatives. 
2 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. 
3 
As used in this Act, the following terms are defined: 
4 
a. "Children" refers to individuals below eighteen (18) years of age, or 
5 
those over eighteen (18) years of age but are incapable of taking care 
6 
of themselves or protecting themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, 
7 
exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental 
8 
disability or condition. 
9 
b. "Special Needs" refers to a range of conditions primarily 
10 
characterized by challenges in social skills, repetitive behaviors, and 
11 
communication, alongside unique strengths, as defined in the latest 
12 
edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 
13 
c. "Diagnosis" means the necessary assessments, including but not 
14 
limited to neuro-psychological evaluations, genetic testing, MRIs, 
15 
hearing tests, and psychometric tests, conducted to identify or rule out 
16 
special needs and/or developmental disabilities. 
17 
d. "Intervention" means any interceding action taken to improve the 
18 
prognosis of special needs. This may include medical, pharmacologic, 
19 
therapeutic, educational, and non-traditional habilitative care. 
20 
e. "Epidemiology" refers to the scientific study and analysis of the 
21 
distribution and determinants of health conditions, such as special 
22 
needs, within defined populations. 
23 
Section 4. Treatment as Persons with Disability. 
24 
Consistent with Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, all children with special 
25 
needs shall be recognized and treated as Persons with Disability. They shall 
26 
therefore be fully entitled to all the rights, privileges, and benefits extended to 
27 
persons with disabilities under Republic Act No. 10754 and other relevant laws. 
28 
Section 5. Inter-Agency Cooperation, Accountability, and Research. 
29 
The Department of Health (DOH), in close coordination with the Department of 
30 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), 
31 
the Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCMH), other academic institutions, 
32 
and non-governmental organizations, is hereby mandated to establish and 
33 
evaluate activities that will: 
34 
1. Inform and educate the public on such disabilities, increasing 
35 
awareness regarding their causes, early detection, management, 
36 
treatment, and developmental milestones. 
37 
2. Promote research for the development and validation of reliable 
38 
screening tools for these disabilities. 
39 


3. Develop a comprehensive curriculum for continuing education to 
1 
assist professionals in recognizing the need for and effectively using valid 
2 
and reliable screening tools. 
3 
4. Promote early screening of children and individuals identified as higher 
4 
risk for such disabilities. 
5 
5. Advance research to determine evidence-based practices for 
6 
interventions, develop robust guidelines for these interventions, and 
7 
widely disseminate related research and guidelines. 
8 
6. Encourage public participation in decisions affecting individuals with 
9 
such disabilities. 
10 
Section 6. Continuing Education and Training for Public Service Providers. 
11 
All officers and staff providing public services, including but not limited to 
12 
personnel from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare 
13 
and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of 
14 
Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of 
15 
Transportation (DOTr), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), 
16 
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Commission on Higher 
17 
Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
18 
(TESDA), National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), Persons with 
19 
Disabilities Affairs Offices (PDAOs) at the Local Government Units (LGUs), and 
20 
Public Safety Units (military, police, firemen, and other first responders), shall 
21 
undergo mandatory continuing education. This training aims to empower service 
22 
providers to be more responsive, sensitive, and compassionate in delivering 
23 
services to children with special needs and their families. 
24 
Section 7. Epidemiological Surveillance Programs. 
25 
The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with various academic 
26 
institutions and non-governmental organizations, is hereby mandated to conduct 
27 
an annual epidemiological survey to determine the national prevalence of 
28 
special needs. The data collected from these surveys shall be provided to 
29 
government agencies and the private sector to facilitate the provision of 
30 
necessary services to children with special needs and their families. 
31 
Section 8. Evidence-based Research. 
32 
The DOH, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development 
33 
(PCHRD), and the National Institute of Health (NIH) are mandated, in 
34 
coordination with local and international mental health institutions, to promote, 
35 
create, develop, and adopt research and strategic plans. These efforts shall 
36 
continually determine and establish evidence-based practices for interventions 
37 
in the treatment, care, and societal integration of children with special needs. 
38 
Section 9. Early Detection and Intervention of Special Needs. 
39 
The DOH, in coordination with the DepEd, is hereby mandated to establish a 
40 
comprehensive program for early screening and detection of special needs. This 
41 
program shall provide appropriate services to infants and toddlers with 
42 


developmental delays associated with special needs and ensure the central 
1 
PWD registry is accurately and timely updated. 
2 
Section 10. Protection Against Discrimination in Education. 
3 
The DepEd, CHED, and TESDA shall formulate or update policies and protocols 
4 
to ensure that all educational institutions are truly inclusive for learners with 
5 
special needs. This inclusivity shall cover, but not be limited to, acceptance into 
6 
academic or training programs, provision of instructional supports, and 
7 
appropriate behavior management. 
8 
Section 11. Provision of Equal Opportunities for Employment. 
9 
The DOLE and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) shall formulate policies and 
10 
programs to ensure that children with special needs are provided equal 
11 
opportunities for gainful employment and apprenticeship in both the private and 
12 
public sectors. 
13 
Section 12. Mandatory Insurance Coverage and Prohibition Against 
14 
Discrimination Thereof. 
15 
All children with special needs shall be covered by the National Health Insurance 
16 
Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC). Necessary 
17 
funds to ensure the enrollment of children with special needs, who may not be 
18 
covered under existing categories, shall be sourced from the National Health 
19 
Insurance Fund of PHIC, specifically earmarked from the proceeds of sin tax 
20 
collections, as stipulated in Republic Act No. 10351. This coverage shall also 
21 
include the cost of early screening and detection programs as an available 
22 
benefit to its members. Furthermore, the Department of Finance (DOF) shall 
23 
issue guidelines to ensure that all insurance providers offer children with special 
24 
needs access to life insurance instruments and include allied medical 
25 
procedures (such as occupational and speech therapies) in the health 
26 
insurance benefits of policyholders. 
27 
Section 13. Protection in Cases of Disaster and Emergencies. 
28 
The DILG, DSWD, and the DND shall formulate the necessary policies and 
29 
protocols to ensure that the military, public safety professionals, local 
30 
government units, and first responders provide essential life-saving support to 
31 
children with special needs, particularly those with behavioral and 
32 
communication challenges, during disasters, calamities, and other emergencies. 
33 
Section 14. Access to Transportation. 
34 
The DOTr shall formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure that 
35 
children with special needs, especially those with behavioral and communication 
36 
challenges, and their families are given reasonable accommodation in accessing 
37 
all forms of transportation by service providers over land, sea, and air. 
38 
Section 15. Reasonable Accommodation in Legal Proceedings. 
39 
The DOJ shall formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure that 
40 
criminal justice agencies and professionals provide essential accommodations 
41 


and protections to children with special needs with behavioral and 
1 
communication challenges, whether they are the accused, victims, or witnesses 
2 
in criminal cases. 
3 
Section 16. The Philippine Care and Support Plan. 
4 
The Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCMH), a multi-sector body 
5 
established by the Mental Health Act, in coordination with other government 
6 
agencies and stakeholders, shall develop, regularly update, and meticulously 
7 
monitor the implementation of the Philippine Care and Support Plan (PCSP). 
8 
This PCSP shall serve as a holistic medium-term plan embodying the provisions 
9 
of this Act, designed to effectively respond to the needs of children with special 
10 
needs and their families, providing essential guidance for stakeholders in both 
11 
public and private sectors. The PCMH shall also coordinate the development 
12 
and implementation of necessary policies and programs to fully operationalize 
13 
all PCSPs and ensure the comprehensive needs of children with special needs 
14 
are met. 
15 
Section 17. Appropriations. 
16 
The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included 
17 
and incorporated in the annual General Appropriations Act for the Department 
18 
of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
19 
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Philippine Health 
20 
Insurance Corporation (PHIC). Furthermore, financial assistance shall be 
21 
provided to Local Government Units (LGUs) to support the implementation of 
22 
programs and services for children with special needs at the grassroots level, 
23 
the funding for which shall also be incorporated in the annual General 
24 
Appropriations Act. 
25 
Section 18. Separability Clause. 
26 
Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the 
27 
remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
28 
effect. 
29 
Section 19. Repealing Clause. 
30 
All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, presidential proclamations, 
31 
letters of instruction, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the 
32 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
33 
Section 20. Effectivity. 
34 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
35 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
36 
Approved, 
37