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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 4116

Introduced by HON. HENRY R. VILLARICA
4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Inclusive educational services must be made available by the State to children and youth with
special needs or those who require differentiated techniques and facilities for learning.

Presently, however, an educational program for children and youth with special needs has yet to
be institutionalized and supported by the State. Once established, this will benefit all children
regardless of the degree of sensory, physical or intellectual disability or need. Each will have an
opportunity to be educated in a manner consistent with quality education. This will also provide them
support for their welfare and development to ensure their full integration to society and facilitate their
active participation in national development goals.

This general framework of inclusive education is sought to be implemented under the proposed
bill by establishing Inclusive Learning Resource Centers in public schools in all divisions, nationwide
where there is no existing Center.

This proposed bill was filed during the 17" Congress. It was approved by the House
Committees on Basic Education and Appropriations. Due to time constraints, however, no further
action was taken on it. This is re-filed for the consideration of the 18" Congress.

Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.

REP. HENRYR. VIKLARICA



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,__ 4116

Introduced by HON. HENRY R. VILLARICA
4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN

AN ACT INSTITUTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, ESTABLISHING INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION LEARNING RESOURCE CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DIVISIONS, PROVIDING FOR STANDARDS.
AND GUIDELINES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Inclusive Education for Children and
‘Youth with Special Needs Act”.

ARTICLE I
POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~The following are hereby declared the policy of the State:

a, Protect and promote the rights of 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;

©. Give full support for their welfare and development, to ensure their full integration to
society;

4. Consider the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation of inclusive
education policies and programs;

e. Encourage learning institutions to take into account the special needs of disabled persons
with respect to the use of school facilities, class schedules, physical education requirements,
and other pertinent considerations;


£ Support learning institutions, especially higher learning institution, 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 of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health;
and ensure that no child is deprived of the right of 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 and 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 use their own language.

SEC. 3. Objectives. ~ This Act shall pursue the following objectives:

(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 of 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 Disabilities in Asia and Pacific;

(@ Implement inclusive education and establish Inclusive Eduation Learning Resource
Centers (IELRC) for inclusion of children and youth with special needs in the
educational mainstream in the least restrictive environment;

(©) Ensure that children and youth with special needs fully develop their potentials towards
self-sufficiency and become fully participative members of society;

(®) 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, thru 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;

(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;

@j) 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 of the school, and caregivers, as primary sources of care, development,
education and advancement of children and youth with special needs;

(@ Increase school retention and cohort survival of 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

(n) 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.

ARTICLE II
DEFINITION OF TERMS
‘SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(a) Basic Education - refers to a program of instruction intended to meet the basic learning
needs which provide the foundation on which subsequent learning can be based. It
encompasses 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 and youth with special needs so that the concemed child development
teachers/workers who are under the jurisdiction of the 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;

(©) Children and Youth with Special Needs - refer to children and youth who are gifted or
talented, or with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental, emotional or
behavioral disorders, speech and language disorders, sensory impairments, autism, long
term physical or health disabilities, deafblindness 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
capacity.

(@) Disability - refers to 1) long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment
that substantially limit one or more physiological or anatomical function of an individual
or activities of such individual; 2) limitation or difficulty encountered by an individual in
executing a task or action; and 3) a participation 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;

(©) Inclusive Education - refers to a process of addressing and responding to the diverse
needs of all leamers 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 a 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 all the encompassing development of more
inclusive societies;

(®) Individual Education Program (IEP) - refers to the systematic, purposive and
developmental educational programming of curricular and instructional priorities and
contents designed to meet a leamer’s special needs and aimed at ensuring mastery of
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 and modifications to be
provided to the learner. An IEP must be designed to meet the unique educational needs
ofa child in the appropriate and least restrictive environment;

(g) Learning Resource Center (Center) - refers to a teaching/learning support systems 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 of concen necessary in determining
appropriate services and placement decisions; medical, health and allied professionals
for care, rehabilitation and development of 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. The 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) Private sector participation - refers to all forms of indispensable, substantial and
meaningful participation of 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;

@

Special Education (SPED) - refers to the customized instructional program/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 and travel training. It is geared towards
their integration into the mainstream education and to prepare them as independent and
functioning members of society;

(k) Special Instructional Materials - refer 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;

() Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - refers to a scientifically valid framework for
guiding educational practice established by the 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 guide the design of inclusive classroom
instruction and accessible course materials. The three principles of UDL are:

() Recognition ~ refers to multiple methods of representation that give leamers a
variety of ways to acquire information and build knowledge;

(ii) Strategic Learning — refers to multiple means of student action and expression

that provide learners alternative modes for demonstrating what they have learned;

and

Affective Learning — refers to multiple modes of students engagement that tap
into learners’ interests, challenge them appropriately and motivate them to lea.

ARTICLE III
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER

SEC, 5. Establishment of Inclusive Education Learning Resource Centers. All public
schools divisions of the DepEd shall establish an Inclusive Education Learning Resource Center
herein 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 (1) of this Act: Provided, further That, all Centers and


facilities for children and youth with special needs shall also be compliant with the requirements of
Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, otherwise known as the “Accessibility Law”.

SEC. 6. Functions of the Center. ~ The Center shall function as a learning resource center
that shall assist in promoting inclusive education and capacitating regular schools to effectively
handle the needs of children and youth with special needs.

Tt shall:

a.

Assess children and youth with special needs to identify specific developmental
areas of concern, determine appropriate services and placement options;

. 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;

. Conduct school-based training of children and youth with special needs;
. Produce appropriate teaching materials for children and youth with special needs

. Provide training to regular teachers, administrators, non-teaching personnel and

parents on inclusive education;

Monitor case management of children and youth with special needs within the
division;

. Ensure the children and youth with special needs within the division shall

receive the appropriate services needed;

. Implement the programs of the Center such as individualized education,

transition program, alternative educational programs and early intervention
programs;

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 of children and
youth with special needs and stimulate community resources which shall promote
and foster system integration within education;

Provide access to auxiliary aids and services that are basically non-educational,
but which enhance the education process for the 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 of therapy, through multi-
disciplinary specialist team;

(2) quality reading, or other effective methods of delivering reading
materials to individuals with visual impairments;

(3) acquisition or modification of 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

(© assistance in the transfer or admission of qualified children and
youth with special needs to post-secondary or tertiary education
institutions.

ARTICLE IV
PARTNERSHIP MECHANISM AND ROLE OF PARTNERS

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 concemed sectors in the
furtherance of the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the DepEd shall coordinate with the
Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) for the establishment or creation of Centers
on the implementation of programs such as the following:

(a) Technical assistance to teachers who are preparing to serve or are serving the Centers;
(b) Training of professional or related services personnel, including all regular teachers;

(©) Replication of successful innovative approaches in providing educational or related services
to children and youth with special needs;

(@) Facilitation of parental involvement in the education of their children and youth with special
needs;

(€) Diagnosis and educational evaluation of children and youth with special needs;

(®) Consultative, counseling and training services for the families of children and youth with
special needs;

(g) Familiarization of the municipality 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 of the DepEd System

SEC. 8. Responsibilities of Agencies. — In conformity with their respective charters and
mandates, government agencies shall define and delineate their respective areas of responsibility
with as to the implementation of this Act. These areas shall be subject to periodic re-assessment of
the inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education (IACCIE), as provided in Section 9
of this Act, whenever necessary.


For purposes of 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 of 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, concemed 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) ~ The 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 and
the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD) in the provision of inclusive
health and nutrition services for the implementation of this Act.

(©) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ~ The DSWD skall be responsible
for the effective management and provision of social welfare services for poor and
deserving children and youth with special needs base on their assessed needs, subject to
guidelines it shall prescribe.

(@) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - The 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.

(©) Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ~ The DILG shall promulgate the
policies and guidelines relevant to the implementation of this Act by the local government
units.

(£) Local Government Units (LGUs) — The LGUs shall allocate a portion of their Special
Education Fund (SEF) for the following:

(1) Provision of 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 of Child Development Centers (CDCs) pursuant to Section 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 of 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 of
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 of the provisions
of 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.

ARTICLE V
INTER-AGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Sec. 9, Inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education (IACCIE) - For purposes
of policy integration, harmonization and coordination of functions, there is hereby established an
Inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Inclusive Education (IACCIE), which shall be attached to
the DepEd and which shall be composed of the following officials or their duly authorized
representatives, up to the level of Assistant Secretary or its equivalent:

(1) Secretary of the DepEd, as Chairperson

(2) Secretary of the DOH as Co-Chairperson

(3) Secretary of the DSWD as Co-Chairperson

(4) Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF)

(5) Secretary of the DPWH

(6) Secretary of the DILG

(7) Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

(8) Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Administration
(TESDA)

(9) Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

Sec. 10. Functions of the IACCIE. — The IACCIE shall perform the following functions:

(a) Develop and set criteria on individual Educational Prograrms. It shall evaluate fundamental
changes both in educational practice and in the design of educational services for inclusion
of children and youth with special needs in regular schools. Inclusive Education involves
changes in philosophy, curriculum, teaching strategy and structural organization;

(b) Implement 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;

(©) Act as catalyst of change and source of information for the benefit of both regular students
and children and youth with special needs;


(@) Constitute and authorize a multidisciplinary body to conduct an annual audit to determine
the compliance of the Centers on its operations;

(©) Document, monitor and access the performances of the Centers and their personnel; and

() Coordinate and disseminate information with partner agencies or local government units.

Sec. 11. The IACCIE Technical Working Committee. - The IACCIE shall be supported by a
Technical Working Committee (TWC) which shall be composed of representatives from the
following agencies and institutions:

(a) Bureau of Curriculum Development of the DepEd

(b) Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD)

(©) National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA)

(@ Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)

(e) National Nutrition Council (NNC) of the DOH

(8) Local Government Units-Leagues of Provinces, Cities or Municipalities

(g) Health organizations such as Philhealth and other healthcare services of the DOH
(h) Health organizations on persons with disability and indigenous people’s concerns
() Academe

The TWC shall provide groundwork technical support to the IACCIE on its activities to capture
varied clientele scope and needs, mainstream programs and reach grassroots levels. Representatives
of civil society organizations and the academe shall be nominated through a process designed by the
IACCIE.

ARTICLE VI
OTHER EDUCATION AND HEALTH INTERVENTIONS

Sec. 12. Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in Child Development Centers. - Child
Development Centers (CDCs) specially designed for pre-school children and their parents where
carly identification of disabilities and/or special needs and introductory educational and intervention
programs will be administered, and development of future multi-disciplinary and 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.

The ECCD Council shall coordinate with the DepEd, DSWD, DOH, LGUs and other
agencies to provide the necessary programs and support fot children with special needs under five
(5) years old.

ARTICLE VII
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
Sec. 13. Hiring of 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 of this Act, the DepEd, DOH, and DSWD
may hire the necessary personnel and support staff to operate, administer and oversee the Center.


Sec. 14. Remuneration, Benefits and Incentives for Inclusive Education Learning Personnel
and Staff. - The salary grades of 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) teaching 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 of 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 of the centers. The manner of selection of such institution shall be provided under
the rules and regulations to be formulated to supplement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 15. In-Service Training of 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 (NEAP).

ARTICLE VIII
RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER MECHANISMS

Sec. 16. Continuing Research to Identify the Needs of 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 of needs of
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 of skills
by the children and youth with special needs necessary for their transition to independent living,
vocational training or competitive skill development: Provided, further, That 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 of the children and youth to
participate and be integrated into community life.


SEC. 17. Student Assistance. ~ The DepEd, DSWD, DOLE, NCDA and the LGUs shall
develop programs to support the financial and educational needs of the marginalized or
disadvantaged children and youth with special needs, as defined in Republic Act No. 8425,
otherwise 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 students in the secondary levels.

SEC. 18. Recreational and Artistic Opportunities. - The DepEd shall establish opportunities
for the safe and wholesome, interactive individual as well as group recreation and social activities
for children and youth with special needs, optimal use of their leisure hours and advancement of
their physical, mental, social and cultural development.

SEC. 19. Special Instructional Materials. — Publishers shall grant the DepEd the authority to
transcribe adopted instructional materials into accessible format, without penalty or payment of
royalty in accordance with Republic Act No. 8293 otherwise known as the Intellectual Property
Code of the Philippines. Provided, That, publishers of 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. Copies of these instructional materials
shall be furnished without cost either to the children and youth with special needs or their teachers
in charge.

SEC. 20. Family Members, Guardians, Caregivers and Day Care Workers Education. — A
formal training and counseling program for family members, guardians, caregivers and day care
workers of 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 of special education, and understanding of
the physical and mental needs of 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.

ARTICLE IX,
PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION

SEC. 21. Incentives for Private Sector Participation. - Partnerships between the government
and private institutions catering to the needs of children and youth with special needs shall be
encouraged. Private entities which team up with the DepEd or provide the necessary educational
assistance and service of 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.


ARTICLE X
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND DISSEMINATION

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.

ARTICLE XI
FINAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 22. Appropriations. — The Secretaries of DepEd, DOH, and DSWD shall immediately
include in their respective Departments’ programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of
which shall be included in the annul General Appropriations Act. .

SEC. 23. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within one hundred twenty (120) days
from the effectivity of this Act the Secretaries of the DepEd, in coordination with the heads of 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. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid
and subsisting.

SEC. 25. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, executive
orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 26. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,