Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No,__52'70

Introduced by Representative ESTRELLITA “GING” B. SUANSING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Persons with disability (PWDs) are one of the most vulnerable groups in our
country. This realization led to the enactment of Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise
known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons. More than a decade and several
amendments later, there is still the need to improve legislation for PWDs, especially
those who are underprivileged.

A discussion paper published by the Institute of Developing Economies in
2010 showed that there is remarkable income disparity among PWDs which is
associated with education and sex. A similar 2009 study on PWDs in Metro Manila
found that there is a large variation among PWDs when it comes to income and
education A substantial number of PWDs have very low monetary income with low
level of education.

From a survey conducted in 2009, only 25% of the total respondents either
reached or finished college education.”

It is important to help the PWDs who have the academic capacity to study in
State universities and colleges in order for them to complete their education and

+ Albert, J.R. et al. IDE Discussion Paper No. 159: Income Disparity among Persons with Disabilities Assessed by
Education and Sex: Findings from a Field Survey Conducted in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Online.

» Soya Mori and Tatsufumi Yamagata. A Note on Income and Poverty of Persons with Disabilities in Metro
‘Manila. Institute of Developing Economies. 2008.

> Yap, J. et al. DP 2009-25 Preliminary Results of the Survey on Persons with Disabilities Conducted in Selected
‘Metro Manila Cities. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. 2009,


receive their college degrees, Providing free auxiliary aids and services for the less
privileged PWD student shall help them achieve these goals

This bill aims to address this need by establishing Accessible Education
Centers in every State university and college in the Philippines. Such centers will not
only provide free auxiliary aids and services but will also render the necessary
support for all persons with disabilities who are enrolled in these institutions of higher
education, with the end in view of enabling them to finish their college education,
thus help them get better opportunities for better paying jobs.

In view of the above, early passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

ESTRELLITA B. SUANSIN(
41" District, Nueva Ecija

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5270

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative ESTRELLITA “GING” B, SUANSING

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AN ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION CENTER IN EVERY
STATE UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. TITLE. — This Act shall be known as the “Accessible Education Act.”

SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. ~ The Constitution recognizes the key
role of education in society. As such, 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, including persons with disabilities.

SECTION 3, DEFINITION OF TERMS. - The following terms used in this Act are
hereby defined:

a) A State University or College refers to any public institution of higher learning
that was created by law;

b) A person with disability refers to one who is suffering from restriction of
different abilities as a result of a mental, psychological, physical or sensory
impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range
considered normal for a human being;

c) An impairment is any loss, diminution, or aberration of psychological,
physiological, or anatomical structure or function;

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d) Adisability shall mean:

1) Aphysical, mental, or psychological impairment that substantially limits
one ot more physiological, psychological, or anatomical function of an
individual or activities of such individual,

2) Arecord of such an impairment, or

3) Being regarded as having such an impairment;

e) A qualified student with disability refers to a person with disability who meets
the academic and technical standards requisite to admission and participation
in the education program of a State University or College;

f) Auxiliary aids and services refer to:

1) Certified sign language interpreters or other effective methods of
delivering materials to individuals with hearing impairments;

2) Qualified readers, taped tests, of other effective methods of delivering
materials to individuals with visual impairments;

3) Typists, door-to-door transportation, or other effective methods of
delivering materials to individuals with manual impairments;

4) Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices; and,

5) Other similar services and actions, or all types of aids and services that
facilitate the learning process of a person with disability;

g) Reasonable accommodation includes:

4) Improvement of existing facilities used by students, faculty, and staff in
order to render these readily accessible to and usable by qualified
disabled students;

2) Modifications to the course program or educational requirements that
are necessary and appropriate so that such requirements do not
discriminate or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of
disability, provided that these modifications do not fundamentally alter
the essential nature of a course or academic program;

3) Modifications to university or college policies, rules, and regulations
that discriminate or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of

ity against qualified students with disability;

4) Adjustment of class schedules, acquisition or alteration of equipment or
devices, appropriate adjustments or modifications of examinations,

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class materials, and the provision of auxiliary aids and services, and
other similar accommodations for qualified students with disability.

SECTION 4. ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION CENTER, — There shall be established an
Accessible Education Center in every State University and College. The Accessible
Education Center shall:

a) Review existing infrastructure, academic and non-academic policies, rules,
and regulations to see if it discriminates or have the effect of discriminating in
the basis of ability against qualified students with disability;

b) Submit the aforementioned review as well as recommendations to the proper
university or college official or office for appropriate action in order to improve
infrastructure, academic and non-academic policies, rules, and regulations to
cater to qualified students with disability;

¢) Inform and train teachers and staff regularly on academic and non-academic
policies, rules, and regulations, reasonable accommodation, and auxiliary aids
and services for qualified students with disability;

d) Provide auxiliary aids and services to qualified students with disability such as
but not limited to certified sign language interpreters, qualified readers, note-
takers, Brailled or large print materials, mobility training for students with
visual impairments, typists for students with manual impairments, and door-to-
door transportation, for the purpose of attending lecture and laboratory
classes, taking examinations, taking part in activities outside the classroom
that are required for the course, and meeting professors for academic
purposes;

e) Determine at the start of every academic year the number of qualified
students with disability, and coordinate and customize the number of
resources offered by the center to accommodate a wide range of disabilities,
specifically the disabilities of qualified students with disability.

f) Receive complaints on discrimination against students with disability by
faculty, staff, and students, and refer these complaints to the proper university
or college official or office for appropriate action;

g) Conduct regular consultations with qualified students with disability, faculty,
staff, and students on how to improve reasonable accommodation,

infrastructure, and services for qualified students with disability.

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SECTION 5, IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS, - The Commission on
Higher Education and the National Council on Disability Affairs shall jointly
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions under
this law.

SECTION 6. APPROPRIATIONS. ~ The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year
following its enactment into law and thereafter.

SECTION 7. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. Should any provision of this Act be found
unconstitutional by a court of law, such provision shall be severed from the
remainder of this Act, and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the
remaining provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8, REPEALING CLAUSE. All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations or part thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with the

provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of

general circulation.

Approved,

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