FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIF’PINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 
7 
OCT -2 
i’4 :! !l 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Policies and Guidelines for Special Education, as contained in DECS Order No. 117, 
s. 1987, identified persons who have sensory impairment as special education clientele. This bill 
seeks to concretize the constitutional mandate which provides that the State shall “promote the 
right of all citizens to quality education . . . and 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. The Congressional Commission on 
education (EDCOM) in its report prepared in 1991-92 has revealed the inadequacy of programs 
and the poor access to special education (SPED) brought about by the limited number of special 
schools and SPED center in the country. In light of the foregoing, this bill is relevant for it 
addresses the problem of limited SPED facilities. 
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.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.B.NO. 1668 
I 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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 
assern bled: 
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 oJ; Municipal Special Education Centers. ~ 
The 
Secretary of Education is hereby authorized to give grants to, or enter into cooperative 
anxigement or contracts with public or private non-profit agencies, institutions, or organizations 
for the establishment or creation of, Municipal Special Education Centers for deaf-mute and 
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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 Identifi 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 sltills 
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 


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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 andlor universities 
which already offer such or similar courses. 
SECTION 6. Annual report to the Secretary of Education; Examination of Numbers and 
Sewices 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 Materiuls and Infomation Concerning Working Practices 
with Deaf-mute und 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 
tern “deaf-mute and blind children” shall include the hearing, speech, and eyesight impaired 
children from birth to eighteen years of age. 
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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 Ipiitial 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, 
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