THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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* '  , 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osrneiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
We are amazed at how gifted children, in contrast to their contemporaries, 
learn so much faster during the early stages of infancy. They discover new 
things, even without the guidance of their elders. Subsequently however, there is 
uncertainty as to whether their endowments will be fully harnessed and their 
rapid development sustained. 
On the other hand, children with disabilities, whether physical, mental or 
emotional are often objects of pity. Their chances of survival in the cutthroat 
competition of this world are likewise fraught with uncertainty. 
While being polar opposites, these two classes of children are related with 
regards to a single consideration - their need for special attention which becomes 
most apparent at school age. 
This bill aims to establish a comprehensive educational program for 
children and youth the special educational needs. Its essential components 
include educational diagnosis and assessment; teacher education to ensure staff 
competence; expanded curriculum development, and evaluation and continuing 
research. 
Though they constitute a minority, special children are by no means the 
least among the country's human resources. It is the duty of the state to provide 
institutions for their development. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
SERGIO OSMENA 111 
Senator 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI 
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so4 JUM 
First Regular Session 
I
,
 
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
) 
- 
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmeiia 111 
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 and a continuing in-service 
training) for teaching and non teaching personnel to ensure staff 
competence; 
c) Expanded curriculum development and evaluation to meet the 
diversified 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. 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this bill, the following 
terms are operationally defined: 
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a) Children with behavior 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 and 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 of 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 reasonably be expected to profit from training 
or vocational rehabilitation 
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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 
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or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, 
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read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such 
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conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, 
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dyslexia and development aphasia. The term does not include children who have 
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learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor 
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handicaps, of mental retardation, or of environmental, cultural, or economic 
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disadvantage. 
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h) 
Mentally gifted and talented - one who is identified at the 
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preschool, elementary, or secondary level as possessing demonstrated or 
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potential abilities that give evidence of high performance capability in areas such 
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as intellectual, creative, specific academic, or leadership ability, or in the 
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performing and visual arts, and who by reason thereof, require services or 
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activities not ordinarily provided by the school 
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i> 
Mentally retarded - one who possesses significantly sub-average 
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general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with impairments in adaptive 
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behavior and manifested during the development period. 
j) 
Orthopedically handicapped - one whose impairment permanently 
or temporarily interferes with the normal functions of the joints, muscles or limbs. 
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. 
k) 
It is 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: 
I )  serves two or more types of children with special needs; 
2) is administered by a SPED trained principaVhead or any 
qualified staff; 
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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 and/or debilitating illness like cardiac (heart) 
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diseases, asthma, diabetes, TB and other respiratory ailments, carcinoma 
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allergy, epilepsy, malnutrition, and others. 
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1. serves only one exceptionally 
0 )  Special Schools - an educational unit that: 
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2. may or may not be residential 
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3. has its own appropriation 
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p) Speech defective/handicapped - one whose speech differs from the 
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average so far as to draw unfavorable attention to the manner of speaking rather 
than to the though conveyed. 
q) Visually impaired - one who is blind or partially sighted. A person is 
blind if he has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye after maximum 
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special conditions. 
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SEC. 3. Organizations. - Every school division shall organized special 
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classes for gifted and handicapped children and youth. The organization of 
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 
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educational intervention. 
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SEC. 4. Special Services. - Special schools and special education 
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centers shall offer a range of special services which shall include medical, 
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preschool classes for these minors shall be strongly encouraged to ensure early 
Every school division shall also organize special education centers which 
shall include non-formal and outreach program for out-of-school youth. 


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psychological and social services, diagnostic counselling, vocational and 
recreational services. Regular schools with special education classes shall 
likewise provide and above services, among other services. 
SEC. 5. Secondary Education. - Special schools shall provide continuing 
or post secondary education services and programs for the gifted and 
handicapped especially for those who cannot avail of educational opportunities in 
regular colleges and universities. 
SEC. 6. Skills Training. - Vocational education and training shall be 
provided and strengthened to render the handicapped children and youth more 
skillfull and competitive in the labor market. 
SEC. 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 of Special Education 
Centers shall be created for effective administration and supervision of the 
special education program. 
SEC. 8. Teacher Training. - All teacher training institutions, public or 
private, offering Bachelors degree in Education shall offer Special Education 
courses as basic knowledge to students in teacher education. 
SEC. 9. Authority of the Secretary of Education. - The Secretary of 
Education is charged with the administration and enforcement of the provisions 
of this Act and shall promulgate and issue the necessary implementing rules and 
regulations. 
He/she 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 DepEd can afford to establish a more permanent structure. 
SEC. 
10. 
Appropriation. - The sum of Twenty million pesos 
(P20,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated our of the funds in the 
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SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - In the event that any provision of this 
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Act, or a part or parts thereof is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the 
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remaining provisions or parts thereof shall be considered valid and binding for 
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the purposes of this Act. 
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hereby repealed or 
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SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) 
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days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
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circulation. 
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 in the General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, act, decree, order, proclamation 
or regulation or part or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are 
Approved, 
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