EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No.
338
•V k ( 
i
s 
of till' £• <i f
*19 
J U L ll 
All :08
RECEI'/lD ff!,
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
INSTITUTING 
INCLUSIVE 
EDUCATION, 
ESTABLISHING 
INCLUSIVE 
EDUCATION LEARNING RESOURCE CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH 
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (CYSNs) IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DIVISIONS, 
PROVIDING FOR STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREOF
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It is enunciated in the Philippine Constitution that the State shall give priority 
to education,1 that all citizens shall have the right to quality education at ail levels, 
and that appropriate steps should be taken by the government to make such education 
accessible to all.2
The constitutional guarantee of "accessibility o f education" intends for no one 
to be left behind and thus, it necessarily applies to children and youth with special 
needs (CYSNs) as well.
And so, in keeping with the said constitutional guarantee. Republic Act (RA) 
No. 7277, as amended or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability provides that 
" TTie State sha// ensure that disabled persons are provided with access to quality
1 Article II, Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
2 Article XIV, Section 1 o f.


education and ample opportunities to develop their skills. I t  shall take appropriate 
steps to make such education accessible to a ll persons with disability. " 3 4 
and that 
" The State shall establish, maintain and support complete, adequate and integrated 
system o f special education fo r the visually impaired, hearing impaired, mentally 
retarded persons an d  other types o f  exceptional children in a ll regions o f the country.
The attached bill, which seeks to establish inclusive education learning resource 
centers for children and youth with special needs (CYSNs) in all public school divisions 
nationwide, is intended to give realization to the obligations of the government under 
the said constitutional guarantee and RA No. 7277, as amended. The bill comprehends 
the different or unique nature of the needs o f CYSNs; and thus, provides learning 
strategies and programs that will appropriately educate CYSNs, nurture their 
potentials, and prepare them well for their adult living, community life and complete 
integration into society.
Hence, I recommend the early approval o f the bill.
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
3 Article 12 of RA No. 7277, as amended
4 Article 14 of RA No. 7277, as amended


EIGKTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 
°° o S
v t5ir,yiO ffitr of till' S-' f'.fi. rp
'19 
JUL11 
All -08
REC£1V!;1) C,
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
INSTITUTING 
INCLUSIVE 
EDUCATION, 
ESTABLISHING 
INCLUSIVE 
EDUCATION LEARNING RESOURCE CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH 
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (CYSNs) IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DIVISIONS, 
PROVIDING FOR STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREOF
Be it  enacted b y the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Inclusive Education for
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Children and Youth with Special Needs Act."
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Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  The following are hereby declared the policies
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o f the State:
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a) 
Protect and promote the rights o f children and youth with special needs 
to make quality education accessible to them;
b) 
Recognize the vital role of children and youth with special needs in 
society, consider their needs as integral part of national development 
strategies, and facilitate their active participation and integration in 
public, civic and State affairs;


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c) 
Give full support for their welfare and development to ensure their full 
integration to society;
d) 
Consider the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation 
of inclusive educational policies and programs;
e) 
Encourage learning institutions to take into account the special needs of 
disabled persons with respect to the use o f school facilities, class 
schedules, 
physical 
education 
requirements, 
and 
other 
pertinent 
considerations;
f) 
Support learning institutions, especially higher learning institutions, in 
providing auxiliary services that will facilitate the learning process for 
disabled persons, ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and 
promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;
g) 
Recognize the right of the children and youth with special needs to 
education on the basis of equal opportunity, in particular, making 
primary education compulsory and accessible to every children and 
youth with special needs;
h) 
Recognize the right of children and youth with special needs to the 
highest attainable standard o f health and to facilities for the treatment 
of illness; and rehabilitation of health; and ensure that no child is 
deprived of the right o f access to such health care and rehabilitation 
services; and
i) 
Ensure that children and youth with special needs belonging to ethnic, 
religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin shall not 
be denied 
the 
right to education, 
health 
treatment, 
or health 
rehabilitation in community with other members, to enjoy their own 
culture, profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own 
language.
Sec. 3. Objectives. -  This Act shall pursue the following objectives:


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a) 
Provide children and youth with special needs free and appropriate 
public education and related services in accordance with their needs, 
and in preparation for adult living and community life;
b) 
Provide children and youth with special needs access to general 
education curriculum through the formal systems and alternative 
delivery services in education;
c) 
Facilitate the inclusion and integration o f children and youth with special 
needs into mainstream education in accordance with the United Nations 
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Incheon 
Strategy to Make the Rights Real For Persons With Disabilih'es in Asia 
and the Pacific;
d) 
Im plement 
inclusive 
education 
and 
establish 
Inclusive 
Education 
Learning Resource Centers (lELRC) for inclusion of children and youth 
with special needs in the educational mainstream in the least restrictive 
environment;
e) 
Ensure that children and youth with special needs fully develop their 
potential toward self-sufficiency and become fully participative members 
of society;
f) 
Ensure that children 
and youth 
with special 
needs understand, 
appreciate and respect differences amongst groups and members of 
society in which they live;
g) 
Identify, through a Child Find System, children and youth with special 
needs ages three (3) to twenty-four (24), and infants and toddlers under 
the age of three (3), in compliance with Republic Act No. 10410, 
otherwise known as the "Early Years Act of 2003";
h) 
Develop, implement, and review Individualized Education Plan;
i) 
Provide parents with information and opportunities to actively participate 
in the possible school placement options and educational programs for 
their children and to enable them to make informed choices and 
decisions;


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j)
k)
Enable and empower parents and family members by training and 
equipping them with capabilities to identify, prevent, refer or intervene 
with regard to disorders, disabilities and abilities of their children;
Train 
and 
equip 
special 
education 
teachers, 
regular 
teachers, 
principals/administrators, 
non-teaching 
staff 
o f 
the 
school, 
and 
caregivers as primary sources of care, development, education and 
advancement o f children and youth with special needs;
I)
Increase school retention and cohort survival o f children and youth with 
special needs;
m) 
Create significant and positive changes in community orientation 
towards disability and the need to provide inclusive education and 
proper care of children and youth with special needs; and
Regularly consult and actively involve persons with disabilities, including 
children and youth with special needs, through their representative 
organizations, in the implementation of this Act and issues relating to it.
n)
Sec. 4. Definition o f Terms. -  As used in this Act:
a) 
Basic education -  refers to a program o f instruction intended to meet the 
basic learning needs which provide the foundation on which subsequent learning can 
be based. It encompases early childhood, kindergarten, elementary and secondary 
education as well as alternative learning systems for out-of-school learners and 
those with special needs;
b) 
Child Find System -  refers to the process of identifying, locating, and 
evaluating every qualified child or youth with special needs so that the concerned 
child development teachers/workers who are under the jurisdiction o f local 
government units (LGUs) can notify parents or guardians of those who are not 
receiving public education services of the right of their children to receive the same 
and facilitate such children's integration into the school system;
c) 
Children and youth with special needs -  refer to children and youth who 
are gifted or talented, or with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental.


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emotional or behavioral disorders, 
speech and language disorders, 
sensory 
impairments, autism, long term physical or health disabilities, deaf blindness, and 
multiple handicapping conditions which in interaction with various barriers may 
hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others 
and are in need of special education as well as services for rehabilitation. They differ 
from the average children in neuropsychological characteristics, sensory and 
cognitive abilities, neuromuscular or physical characteristics, and social attributes to 
such an extent that the use of modified school practices or special education 
services are required to develop them to maximum capability;
d) 
D isability- refers to 1) long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory 
impairment that substantially lim it one or more physiological or anatomical function 
o f an individual or activities of such individual; 2) limitation or difficulty encountered 
by an individual in executing a task or action; and 3) a p>articipation restriction or 
problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life's situations. It does not 
just entail a health problem but shall reflect the interaction between features of a 
person's body and features of the society in which he lives as well as the difficulties 
the person has encountered to remove the environment and social barriers.
e) 
Inciusive education -  refers to a process of addressing and responding 
to the diverse needs o f ail learners by increasing participation in learning, cultural 
activities and community life, and reducing exclusion within and from education. It 
involves changes and 
modifications in content, 
approaches, 
structures and 
strategies, anchored on a common vision for all children of the appropriate age 
range and the conviction that it is the responsibility of the State to educate all 
children. It focuses on the achievement of high quality education for all learners and 
the all-encompassing development o f more inclusive societies.
f) 
Individual Education Program (lEP) -  refers to the systematic, purposive 
and developmental educational programming of curricular and instructional priorities 
and contents designed to meet a learner's special needs and aimed at ensuring 
mastery o f target skills and behaviors. It specifies the services to be provided and 
how often; describes the learner's present level of performances and how the 
learner's disabilities affect academic performances; and specifies accommodations


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and modifications to be provided to the learner. An lEP must be designed to meet
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the unique educational needs of a child in the appropriate and least restrictive
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environment.
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g) 
Learning Resource C en te r- refers to a teaching/learning support system 
for students, teachers, school personnel and other education stakeholders of 
children and youth with special needs. It includes appropriate, accessible, disability-, 
cultural-, and gender-sensitive instructional learning materials, tools, devices, 
gadgets, equipment to facilitate and enhance learning assessment tools and 
instruments to evaluate developmental domains and specific areas o f concern 
necessary in determining appropriate services and placement decisions; medical, 
health and allied professionals for care, rehabilitation and development o f learners.
h) 
Least restrictive environment (LRE) -  refers to the situation where a 
learner, who has a disability, is accorded the opportunity to be educated with non­
disabled peers to the greatest extent appropriate. Tbe children and youth with 
special needs should have access to the general education curriculum, or any other 
program that non-disabled peers are able to access. The children and youth with 
special needs shall be provided with supplementary aids and services necessary to 
achieve educational goals if placed in a setting with non-disabled peers, and shall 
receive an appropriate version of educational and social benefits which non-disabled 
students routinely receive in school.
i) 
Pnvate sector participation 
-  refers to all forms of indispensable, 
substantial and meaningful participation o f private individuals, partnerships, groups 
or entities, disabled people's organizations, community-based organizations or non­
government organizations, and business and industry groups in the delivery of 
educational and rehabilitative services for children and youth with special needs.
j) 
Special Education (SPED) 
-  refers to the customized instructional 
prog ram/service designed to meet the unique needs of individual children and youth 
with special needs, which may necessitate the use of supplementary aids and 
services and teaching strategies in classroom and non-academic settings and 
includes instructions on physical and vocational education, social skills development


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and travel training. It is geared towards their integration into mainstream education 
and to prepare them as independent and functioning members o f society
k) 
Special Instructional Materials -  refers to textbooks in Braille, large type, 
audio, digital or any other medium or apparatus that convey information to a 
student or otherwise contributes to the learning process.
l) 
Universal Design fo r Learning (UDL) -  refers to a scientifically valid 
framework for guiding educational practice established by Department of Education 
(DepEd) that:
(1) 
Provides flexibility in the way information is presented, in the way 
students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the 
way students are engaged; and
(2) 
Reduces 
barriers 
in 
instruction, 
provides 
appropriate 
accommodations, supports mental and physical challenges and 
maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including 
students with disabilities and students who have limited English 
proficiency.
It also refers to a set of principles that guides the design of inclusive 
classroom instruction and accessible course materials. The three principles of UDL 
are:
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(1) 
Recognition -  refers to multiple methods o f representation that 
give learners a variety of ways to acquire information and build 
knowledge;
(2) 
Strategic Learning -  refers to multiple means of student action and 
expression 
that 
provide 
learners 
alternative 
modes 
for 
demonstrating what they have learned; and
(3) 
Affective 
Learning 
-  
refers 
to 
multiple 
modes 
o f student 
engagement that tap into learner's interests, challenge them 
appropriately and motivate them to learn.


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Sec. 5. Establishment o f Inclusive Education Learning Resource Centers. -  All 
public schools divisions of the DepEd shall establish an Inclusive Education Learning 
Resource Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, for children and youth with 
special needs, where there are no existing Centers; Provided, That all Centers shall 
comply with the Universal Design for Learning as defined under Section 4, 
subparagraph (I) o f this Act: Provided, further That, all Centers and facilities for 
children and youth with special needs shall also be compliant with the requirements 
o f Batas Pambansa Bilang 344, otherwise known as the "Accessibility Law"
Sec. 6. Functions o f the Center. -  The Center shall function as a learning 
resource center that shall assist in promoting inclusive education and in capacitating 
regular schools to effectively handle the needs of children and youth with special 
needs. It shall:
a) Assess children and youth with special 
needs to identify specify 
developmental areas o f concern and determine appropriate services and grade 
placement options;
b) Support children with disabilities and special needs in such a manner that 
they could be integrated/included in regular schools in the least restrictive 
environment;
c) 
Conduct school-based training o f children and youth with special needs;
d) Produce appropriate teaching materials for children and youth with special
needs;
e) 
Provide 
training 
to 
regular 
teachers, 
administrators, 
non-teaching 
personnel and parents on inclusive education;
f) 
Monitor case management of children and youth with special needs within 
the division;
g) 
Ensure that the children and youth with special needs within the division 
shall receive the appropriate services needed;


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h) Implement the programs o f the Center such as individualized education, 
transition 
program, 
alternative 
educational 
programs and early 
intervention 
program;
i) 
Establish a referral system that shall provide and develop multidisciplinary 
services such as healthcare delivery systems and other child and youth support 
systems to address the challenges and difficulties of the families o f children and 
youth with special needs and stimulate community resources which shall promote 
and foster systems integration within education;
j) 
Provide access to auxiliary aids and services that are basically non- 
educational but which enhance the education process for children and youth with 
special needs. These aids and services may include:
(1) 
Language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical and 
physiotherapy, among other modes o f therapy, through m ulti­
disciplinary specialist team;
(2) 
Quality reading or other effective methods o f delivering reading 
materials to individuals with visual impairments;
(3) 
Acquisition or modification o f equipment or devices;
(4) 
Appropriate classroom accommodation;
(5) 
Other similar services and actions or all types of aids and services 
that facilitate the learning process; and
(6) 
Assistance in the transfer or admission of qualified children and 
youth with special needs to post-secondary or tertiary education 
institutions.
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Sec. 7. Partnership Mechanism. -  The DepEd and the concerned agencies 
may coordinate and enter into cooperative agreement, arrangement or contract with 
other government agencies, private non-profit agencies, institutions or organizations 
duly accredited or recognized by the government agencies, civil society, business 
and industrial sector, and other concerned sectors in the furtherance of the 
provisions of this Act: 
Provided, That the DepEd shall coordinate with the


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Department o f Health (DOH), Department o f Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD), Department o f Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Commission on Higher 
Education (CHED) and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) for the 
establishment or creation o f Centers on the implementation of programs such as the 
following:
a) Technical assistance to teachers who are preparing to serve or are serving 
in the Centers;
b) Training of professional or related services personnel, including all regular 
teachers;
c) 
Replication o f successful innovative approaches in providing educational 
or related services to CYSNs;
d) Facilitation of parental involvement in the education o f their children and 
youth with special needs;
e) 
Diagnosis and educational evaluation of children and youth with special 
needs;
f) 
Consultative, counseling and training services for the families of children 
and youth with special needs;
g) Familiarization of the municip>ality or city being served by an Inclusive 
Education Learning Resource Center with the problems and potentials of 
children and youth; and
h) Entering into agreements with medical and allied medical professional 
groups.
Centers created under this Section shall remain part o f the DepEd System.
Sec. 8. Responsibilities o f Agencies. -  In conformity with their respective 
charters and mandates, government agencies shall define and delineate their 
respective areas of responsibility with respect to the implementation of this Act. 
These areas shall be subject to periodic re-assessment o f the Inter-Agency 
Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education (lACCIE), as provided in Sec. 9 of this 
Act, whenever necessary.
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For purposes o f this Act, the different agencies shall have the following roles:
a) 
Department of Education (DepEd) -  The DepEd shall be the lead 
government agency responsible for the implementation o f this Act to ensure inter­
agency coordination and integration of services among school systems, early 
intervention programs, mainstreaming of children and youth with special needs in 
the regular classroom set-up, concerned welfare agencies, children and youth with 
special needs availability of access and classification of developmental domains and 
establishment of a referral system and redress mechanism for parents and 
guardians.
b) Department of Health (DOH) -  Tfie DOH shall make available health care 
services for children and youth with special healthcare needs, child mental health 
service providers, health plans, oral health providers, family-to-family health 
information 
and 
education, 
advocacy 
organizations 
and 
other 
community 
organizations serving children and youth with special needs and their families. Due 
to the importance of integrating primary care with mental health services, the DOH 
shall collaborate with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Early Childhood 
Care and Development Council (ECCD) in the provision of inclusive health and 
nutrition services for the implementation o f this Act.
c) 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) -  The DSWD 
shall be responsible for the effective management and provision of social and 
welfare services for poor and deserving children and youth with special needs based 
on their assessed needs, subject to guidelines it shall prescribe.
d) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) -  Tbe DPWH shall 
prescribe the proper physical set-up of the Centers and shall build and maintain 
roads that shall ensure accessibility to children and youth with special needs.
e) 
Department o f Interior and Local Government (DILG) -  The DILG shall 
promulgate the policies and guidelines relevant to the implementation o f this Act by 
the local government units.
f) 
Local Government Units (LGUs) -  The LGUs shall allocate a portion of 
their Special Education Fund (SEF) for the following:
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(1) 
Provision o f sites, buildings or centers where there are no existing 
school facilities that may be used for the special education of 
children and youth with special needs as well as the establishment 
o f Child Development Centers (CDCs) pursuant to Sec. 11 hereof;
(2) 
Identification, coordination and partnership with public or private 
volunteers and private organizations, national or international, duly 
recognized and accredited by appropriate government office, for 
information dissemination campaigns and funding support to 
augment the funding for Inclusive Education programs and 
activities;
(3) 
Provide assistive devices, instructional materials and teacher's 
training provisions;
(4) 
Provision of funds for the delivery of health and nutrition services 
and interventions, educational assessment program for children 
and youth with special needs in their respective localities that 
would be initiated by the DOH and DepEd, respectively;
(5) 
Participate in all efforts concerning integration o f children and 
youth with special needs to regular schools, health services, 
transport services and other social and welfare services;
(6) 
Develop 
government 
and 
community 
awareness 
and 
responsiveness to the needs o f children and youth with special 
needs;
(7) 
Provide a means for redress in case parents are not amenable to 
educational program for children and youth with special needs 
under the jurisdiction of the Local School Boards;
(8) 
Coordinate 
with 
other 
agencies 
in 
ensuring 
the 
proper 
implementation o f the provisions o f this Act within their territorial 
jurisdiction, including the child find and referral system; and
(9) 
Enact appropriate ordinances to implement the LGUs role in this 
Act.
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Sec. 9. Inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education (lACCIE). -  
For purposes of policy integration, harmonization and coordination o f functions, 
there is hereby created an Inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education 
(lACCIE), which shall be attached to the DepEd and which shall be compnosed of the 
following ofRcials or their duly authorized representatives, up to the level of 
Assistant Secretary or its equivalent:
1) 
Secretary o f the DepEd, as Chairperson;
2) 
Secretary o f DOH as Co-Chairperson;
3) 
Secretary o f DSWD as Co-Chairperson;
4) 
Secretary o f Department o f Finance (DOF)
5) 
Secretary o f DPWH
6) 
Secretary o f DILG
7) 
Secretary o f Department o f Labor and Employment (DOLE)
8) 
Director General 
of Technical 
Education 
and 
Skills 
Development 
Administration (TESDA)
9) 
Commissioner o f Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
The lACQE shall perform the following functions:
a) 
Develop and set criteria on Individual Educational Programs. It shall 
evaluate fundamental changes both in educational practice and in the design of 
educational services for inclusion o f children and youth with special needs in regular 
schools. Inclusive Education involves changes in philosophy, curriculum, teaching 
strategy and structural organization;
b) Im plement appropriate and coordinated programs in health and related 
physiological 
and 
psychological 
health 
services, 
multidisciplinary 
domains, 
transportation and accessibility for children and youth with special needs;
c) 
Acts as catalyst of change and source o f information for the benefit of 
both regular students and children and youth with special needs;
d) Constitute and authorize a multidisciplinary body to conduct an annual 
audit to determine the compliance of the Centers on its operations;
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e) 
Document, monitor and assess the performances o f the Centers and their
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personnel;
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f) 
Coordinate and disseminate information with partner agencies or local
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government units.
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Sec. 10. The lACCIE Technical Working Committee. -  The lACCIE shall be 
supported by a Technical Working Committee (TWC) which shall be composed of 
representatives from the following agencies and institutions:
1) 
Bureau o f Curriculum Development of the DepEd;
2) 
Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD);
3) 
National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA);
4) 
Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC);
5) 
National Nutrition Council (NNC) of the DOH
6) 
Local Government Units -  League of Provinces, Cities or Municipalities;
7) 
Health organizations, such as Philhealth and other healthcare services of 
the DOH;
8) 
Civil society organizations on persons with disability and indigenous 
peoples' concerns; and
9) 
Academe.
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The TWC shall provide groundwork technical support to the lACCIE on its
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activities to capture varied clientele scope and needs, mainstream programs, and
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reach grassroots levels. Representatives of civil society organizations and the
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academe shall be nominated through a process designed by the lACCIE.
Sec. 11. Inclusion o f Children with Special Needs in Child Development 
Centers. -  
Child Development Centers (CDCs) specially designed for pre-school 
children and their parents where early identification o f disabilities and/or special 
needs and introductory educational and intervention programs will be administered, 
and development of future multi-disciplinary child development centers shall be 
established near all schools or within existing Inclusive Education Learning Resource 
Centers. As far as practicable, the use of CDCs and facilities shall be maximized.
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The ECCD Council shall coordinate with the DepEd, DSWD, DOH, LGUs and 
other agencies to provide the necessary programs and support for children with 
special needs under five (5) years old.
Sec. 12. Hiring o f Personnel and Staff. -  In addition to teachers and licensed 
social workers who have knowledge, skills and special training in handling cases of 
children and youth with special needs and to ensure the effective implementation o f 
this Act, the DepEd, DOH, and DSWD may hire the necessary personnel and support 
staff to operate, administer and oversee the Center.
Sec. 13. Remuneration, Benefits and Incentives fo r Inclusive Education 
Learning Personnel and Staff. -  The salary grades o f Special Education (SPED) 
teachers and Program Directors managing the Centers shall be in accordance with 
the Revised Compensation and Position Classification System and other civil service 
rules and regulations.
The DepEd shall enhance the access of teachers/instructors to specialized and 
continuing training and education and ensure that the Centers shall endeavor to 
attract the best available teaching staff and talents through adequate remuneration, 
benefits, scholarship and training grants, teacher exchange programs, incentives and 
allowances and other means of securing their job satisfaction and tenure in their 
respective posts. A similar program shall be designed for support personnel to 
include 
interpreters, 
psychologists, 
social 
workers 
and 
health 
service 
professionals/workers involved in the education, health and rehabilitation of children 
with special needs.
The DepEd shall identify at least one (1) leading institution or university in 
Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao whose 
faculty is considered or regarded as highly competent in the area o f special 
education and where a uniform or standardized curriculum for any post-graduate 
education program shall be designed to benefit SPED teachers and other personnel 
o f the centers. The manner of selection of such institution shall be provided under 
the rules and regulations to be formulated to implement the provision of this Act.
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Sec. 14. In-Service Training o f Teachers, Administrators, Non-Teaching 
Personnel. -  To enhance the inclusive education program, the DepEd shall 
coordinate with the appropriate national government agencies to offer basic and 
advanced seminars on disability awareness and inclusive education for the 
concerned education stakeholders.
The appropriate and necessary trainings, seminars and other opportunities for 
upgrading the performance of DepEd teachers implementing the inclusive education 
curriculum shall be conducted and evaluated by the National Educators' Academy of 
the Philippines.
Sec. 15. Continuing Research to Identify the Needs o f  Children and Youth 
with Special Needs. -  The DepEd, by itself or in coordination with organizations or 
institutions, shall undertake continuing research to identify and design programs that 
shall meet the full range o f needs o f children and youth with special needs: 
Provided, That such continuing research shall also be used to develop instructional 
techniques for use by the Centers towards improving the acquisition o f skills by the 
children and youth with special needs necessary for their transition to independent 
living, vocational training or competitive skill development: Provided, further, TTiat 
such continuing research shall be used by the DepEd in designing holistic programs 
for all schools and all Inclusive Education Resource Learning Centers to enhance the 
potential o f the children and youth to participate and be integrated into community 
life.
Sec. 16. Student Assistance. -  The DepEd, DSWD, DOLE, NCDA and the LGUs 
shall develop programs to support the financial and educational needs o f the 
marginalized or disadvantaged children and youth with special needs, as defined in 
Republic Act No. 8425, known as the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act. The 
benefits accorded by Republic Act No. 8545, otherwise known as the "Government 
Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Act" shall 
likewise be extended to qualified children and youth with special needs in the 
secondary levels.
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Sec. 17. Recreational and Artistic Opportunities. -  The DepEd shall establish 
opportunities for the safe, wholesome, interactive individual as well as group 
recreation and social activities of children and youth with special needs, optimal use 
o f their leisure hours and advancement of their physical, mental, social and cultural 
development.
Sec. 18. Special Instructional Materials. -  Publishers shall grant the DepEd the 
authority to transcribe adopted instructional materials into accessible format, without 
penalty or payment o f royalty, in accordance with Republic Act No. 8293, otherwise 
known as the "Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines": Provided, That, 
publishers o f a newly adopted instructional material shall provide, not later than the 
second working day after the adoption of a textbook title by the DepEd, the digital 
copy as specified by the DepEd for the purpose of producing accessible versions of 
the textbooks for students with reading disabilities. The accessible versions may be 
produced by the DepEd or by non-profit accessible book producers which may be 
copied and distributed upon request by a Schools Division for instructional purposes.
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Copies o f these instructional materials shall be furnished without cost either
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to the children and youth with special needs or their teachers in charge.
Sec. 19. Family Members, Guardians, Caregivers and Day Care Workers 
Education. -  A formal training and counseling program for family members, 
guardians, caregivers and day care workers o f children and youth with special needs 
shall be developed jointly by the DepEd, DSWD, LGUs, ECCD Council, disabled 
people's 
organizations, 
parent-support 
organizations, 
health 
professional 
organizations, healthcare services, non-government organizations and civil society 
organizations to provide them with a working knowledge o f special education and an 
understanding of the physical and mental needs o f children and youth with special 
needs; and set their important role as educators, so as to maximize their knowledge 
and skills to fully participate in developing the potentials of children and youth with 
special needs.
Sec. 20. Incentives fo r Private Sector Participation. -  Partnerships between 
the government and private institutions catering to the needs of children and youth
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with special needs shall be encouraged. Private entities which team up with the 
DepEd or provide the necessary educational assistance and service o f children and 
youth with special needs enrolled in public schools shall be entitled to the benefits 
and incentives provided under R.A. No. 8525, otherwise known as the Adopt-a- 
School Act and its implementing rules and regulations.
Sec. 21. Public Information, Education and Communication. -  A nationwide 
information dissemination campaign on the prevention, early identification and the 
strategic intervention programs for children and youth with special needs shall be 
intensified. This shall be the joint responsibility of the Philippine Information Agency 
(PIA), CWC, NCDA and the DepEd. Likewise, the DepEd, in collaboration with the 
DOH, DOLE, CHED, TESDA and DILG shall disseminate materials and information 
concerning effective practices in working with, training and education of children and 
youth with special needs.
Sec. 22. Appropriations. -  The Secretaries o f the DepEd, DOH and DSWD 
shall 
immediately 
include 
their 
respective 
Departments' 
programs 
the 
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 23. Im plem enting Rules and Regulations. -  Within one hundred twenty 
(120) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretaries of the DepEd, the DOH 
and the DSWD, in coordination with the heads o f other concerned agencies, shall 
promulgate and issue the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of 
this Act. The implementing rules and regulations issued pursuant to this section shall 
take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation.
Sec. 24. Separability Clause. -  I f  any portion or provision o f this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder o f this Act or any provisions 
hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.
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Sec. 25. Repealing Clause. -  Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter o f instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to 
the provisions o f this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 26. EfTectivity. -This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper o f general circulation.
Approved,
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