FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. - 
1872 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Autism is a lifelong pervasive developmental disorder identiied in the 
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The five 
pervasive developmental disorders are: autistic disorder; Asperger’s disorder; 
pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified; Rett‘s disorder; and 
childhood disintegrative disorder. These lifelong disorders are often referred to 
collectively as autism spectrum disorders. 
Autism spectrum disorders are neurologically based developmental 
disorders that can have profound lifelong effects in social interaction, the ability to 
communicate, imagination and the establishment of relationships. Research 
findings suggest that up to 48 percent of young children with autism spectrum 
disorders make marked progress when they receive intensive early intervention. 


FOURTEENTH ONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN INTERAGENCY INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE 
SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Interagency Initiative.- The Secretary of Department of 
Health and the Secretary of Education shall develop an interagency proposal for 
a coordinated, life-long system of care designed to address the needs of 
individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. 
The Department of Health shall assume primary responsibility for 
developing the proposed plan. The plan shall be developed in collaboration with 
a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including individuals with ASD and their 
families, professionals with established expertise in ASD, private and public 
providers of services to individuals with ASD and their families and entities 
providing support to families of individuals with ASD. Collaboration with ' 
individuals with ASD and their families shall reflect diversity in geography, in 
diagnoses, and in the severity of symptoms. It shall also ensure consideration of 
an individual's needs as a child, as a youth and as an adult. 
SECTION 2. The proposed plan shall include: 
(1) A profile of the range of diagnoses and needs of the children, 
(2) Projections of the future needs of individuals with ASD, including 
transitional services related to socialization, job training and employment 
and independent living in a community-based format to assist individuals 
moving from school to the community. 
(3) Identification of the specific goals of the proposed plan for a 
lifelong system of care for individuals with ASD and their families. 
youth, and adults to be served. 
(4) Development of research-based best practices guidelines to 
enhance the ability of public and private providers to meet the needs of 
individuals with ASD and their families. 


(5) A review of the educational and human services-related supports 
and services currently available to individuals with ASD throughout their 
lifetime. 
(6) A review of the supports and services currently available to the 
families of individuals with ASD. 
(7) Identification of the strengths of and deficiencies in the current 
system of supports and services identified in subdivisions (5) and (6) of this 
subsection and of the availability of those supports and services in all areas 
of the state. 
(8) Identification of the additional supports and services needed for 
an effective lifelong system of care for individuals with ASD and their 
families and recommendations for how unmet needs might be satisfied. 
(9) A review of the current role of public schools in connection with , 
the provision of services to individuals with ASD, including: 
(A) The financial impact that the provision of these services has 
on school budgets. 
(B) Consideration of whether the current allocation of costs 
between the education system and the agency of human services for the 
provision of services to individuals with ASD is appropriate and whether 
any possible reallocation is appropriate, advisable and consistent with 
law. 
(IO) A detailed proposal, with a related timeline, for implementing the 
(A) The manner in which existing resources and facilities might 
be used or redirected to support the system. 
(8) The availability of funding sources for the proposed system 
of care. 
(C) Strategies to encourage collaboration among existing and 
new resources to provide coordinated, lifelong services, training, 
technical assistance, information dissemination and consultation to 
individuals with ASD and their families, including a centralized, publicly 
available information system with an information “hotline.” 
(D) Strategies to encourage collaboration among existing and 
new resources to provide coordinated training, technical assistance, 
information dissemination, and consultation to schools, local agencies, 
and other providers of developmental, mental health and early 
intervention services to individuals with ASD and their families. 
(E) Strategies for enabling access to the early and accurate 
diagnosis of ASD. 
(F) Strategies for encouraging collaboration with higher 
education programs to provide a sufficient number of well-trained 
professionals to provide lifelong services to individuals with ASD and 
their families in all regions of the state. 
(G) Provisions ensuring regular review and revision of the 
proposed system of care. 
proposed lifelong system of care, including: 
SECTION 3. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to initially 
implement this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of 
the Department of Health. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
Act. 


SECTION 4. Repealing Clause.- Any provision of law, executive order, 
decree or rules of court, which may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause.- If any part of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 6. Effectivity. . This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,