Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to concretize the constitutional mandate which provides that the State 
shall “protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and 
shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.” 
It should be recognized that deaf-mute and blind children have different needs 
compared to their physically able peers which merit careful attention. There is a 
glaring inadequacy of programs and lack of access to special education (SPED) 
brought about by the limited number of special schools and SPED centers in the 
country.  
This bill aims to establish Municipal Special Education Centers for deaf-mute and 
blind children to ensure accessibility of the latter to such institutions in every 
municipality. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
October 20, 2022
1:53 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF MUNICIPAL SPECIAL EDUCATION 
CENTERS FOR THE DEAF-MUTE AND BLIND CHILDREN APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the state to 
establish, maintain and support Municipal Special Education Centers (hereafter 
“Centers”) for deaf-mute and blind children in consonance with the Constitutional 
mandate for “the State to take appropriate steps to make education accessible to all.” 
SECTION 2. Municipal Special Education Centers; Creation and Purpose. – 
There shall be created in every municipality throughout the country Municipal 
Education Centers which shall assist the Department of Education in: 
(A)
Providing deaf-mute and blind children special quality education and related
services as well as vocational and transitional services; and
(B)
Providing deaf-mute and blind children currently in school or who recently left 
school programs and service to assist them in the transition to independent 
living, vocational training, and competitive employment.
SECTION 3. Authority of the Secretary of Education to Give Grants to, or Enter 
into Cooperative Arrangements for the Creation of, Municipal Special 
Education Centers. – The Secretary of Education is hereby authorized to give grants 
to, or enter into cooperative arrangement or contracts with public or private non-profit 
agencies, institutions, or organizations for the establishment or creation of, Municipal 
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Special Education Centers for deaf-mute and blind children and youth; Provided, that 
a grant made pursuant to this section may be made only for the following or similar 
programs:  
(A) Technical assistance to Centers providing educational services to deaf-mute 
and blind children; 
(B) Pre-service or in-service training of professionals or related services personnel 
preparing to serve or serving deaf-mute and blind children;  
(C) Replication of successful innovative approaches to providing educational or 
related services to deaf-mute and blind children at risk of being certified 
deaf-mute and blind; 
(D) Consultative, counseling and training services for the families of deaf-mute and 
blind children; and  
(E) Familiarization of the municipality to be served by a center with the problems 
and potentialities of such children. 
 
SECTION 4. Provision for Continuing Research to Identify Special Needs of 
Deaf-mute and Blind Children. – The Special Education Division of the Department 
of Education by itself or in association with such organizations or institutions as are 
determined by the Secretary of the Department of Education to be appropriate, shall 
undertake continuing research to identify and design programs that meet the full 
range of special needs of deaf-mute and blind children; Provided, that such 
continuing research shall also be used to develop instructional techniques for use by 
the Centers that will improve deaf-mute and blind children’s acquisition of the skills 
necessary for transition to independent living, vocational training, or competitive 
employment; Provided, finally that such continuing research shall further be used to 
design physical education and therapeutic recreation program for use by the Centers 
to increase the potential of deaf-mute and blind children for community participation. 
 
SECTION 5. Provision for Training of Personnel. – The Department of Education, 
Culture and Sports shall develop special education courses for adoption and 
implementation by accredited institutions of higher education and universities; 
Provided, That such courses shall include subjects on special education, and 
adaptive physical education; special education supervision and administration; and  
special education research; Provided, finally, That the Secretary of the Department of 


 
 
Education may make grants, which may include scholarships with necessary stipends 
and allowances, to institutions of higher education and/or universities which already 
offer such or similar courses. 
 
SECTION 6. Annual report to the Secretary of Education; Examination of 
Numbers and Services and Revision of Numbers: Annual Report to Congress; 
Summary of Data. – Centers established, created or supported under the Act as well 
as public or non-profit private agencies or organizations which are recipients of a 
grants shall report annually to the Secretary of the Department of Education on:  
(A) The number of recipients, by age, severity, and nature of deaf-muteness and 
blindness; 
(B) The number of professionals and family members directly served by, or serving 
in, each Center; and  
(C) The types of services provided. 
The Secretary of the Department of Education shall examine the number of 
deaf-mute and blind children and youth so reported and, together with the Secretary 
of the Department of Health, shall create and annually revise a Deaf-Mute and Blind 
Children National Registry.  
The Secretary of the Department of Education shall summarize the date for 
submission in its annual report to the Congress. 
 
SECTION 7. Dissemination of Materials and Information Concerning Working 
Practices with Deaf-mute and Blind Children. – The Secretary of the DECS, in 
collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Secretary of Labor and Employment, 
shall disseminate materials and information concerning effective practices in working 
with, training, and educating deaf-mute and blind children. 
 
SECTION 8. Deaf-mute and Blind Children Defined. – For purposes of this Act, the 
term “deaf-mute and blind children” shall include the hearing, speech, and eyesight 
impaired children from birth to eighteen years of age. 
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Guidelines for the Establishment of Municipal 
Education Centers. – The Department of Education, in collaboration with the 
Department of Health and the Department of Public Works and Highways, shall 


 
 
promulgate and issue the necessary implementing guidelines for the creation and 
operation of Municipal Special Education Centers within sixty (60) days after the 
effectivity of this Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Fund for the Establishment and Initial Operation of the Centers. – 
Such sums as may be necessary are hereby authorized to be appropriated from the 
National Treasury.  Thereafter, the sums necessary for the continuous operation of 
the Centers shall be included in the annual appropriations of the Department of 
Education.  
 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,