THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S.B. No. 82 
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The predicament of the differently-abled in terms of fitting into a society all too 
often preoccupied with personal matters has been brought to our attention only rece'ntly. 
As the Thirteenth Congress begins its legislative task, there is a great need to 
push for more programs and policies for the differently-abled, in order to integrate this 
important sector into the social, political, economic and cultural mainstream of our 
society. 
This bill aim's to provide free education for the differently-abled during their 
formative years. It is vital that the government takes the lead in providing this service 
for free because the impoverished certainly do not have the means to pay for the 
specialized education of these children. 
By orienting these children at an early age, they shall learn to overcome their 
"handicap" and thus consider themselves as no different and certainly no less capable 
than any other person. 
Immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly sought. 
EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S.B. No. 882 
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FREE AND SUITABLE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR HANDICAPPED 
CHILDREN AND APPRO~RIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declarafion of Poky. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels of education 
and to make appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. 
It shall 
promote non-formal, informal, and indigenous and out of school study programs 
particularly those that respond to community needs, the disabled and the handicapped. 
Towards this end, the State shall provide a free and suitable public education for 
differently-abled children under a special education program with the end in view of 
insuring their survival and advancement and making them productive partners for 
national development. 
SECTION 2. It shall be the purposes of this Act to: 
a) 
Establish a special education program that shall cater to the needs of the 
differently-abled, and the mentally and physically handicapped. 
b) 
Provide full financial and 
educational assistance to differently-abled 
children of the country; and 
c) 
Help the development and rehabilitation of differently-abled children 
through said special education program. 
SECTION 3. For purposes of this Act the following shall mean: 
a) 
A differently-abled child is one who has not yet reached the age of 


,- 
b) 
A suitable public education refers to a course, profession, skill or program 
prescribed by the DECS to a differently-abled child taking into 
consideration the child’s aptitude handicap and talents. 
SECTION 4. A special education center shall, whenever possible, be established 
in the provincial, city and municipal levels for this purpose. Said special education 
center shall, as much as possible, provide for elerrientary levels of education with 
maximum opportunities for integration with non-handicapped peers. 
SECTION 5. The benefits that will be given to qualified differently-abled child 
shall include tuition fees, textbook allowance, and ambulatory equipment or devices as 
may be necessary. Special services such as note-takers and readers for the blind, sign 
interpreters for the deaf and tutorial instruction shall also be offered. 
SECTION 6. A special Education Development Fund is hereby established with 
an initial capital outlay of Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00) to be taken from the 
appropriations for the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports under the current 
General Appropriations Act. 
Thereafter such sum as may be necessary for its 
continued operations and maintenance shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 7. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports in coordination 
with the Department of Social Welfare and Development shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Repealing C/ause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, rules and regulations which are contrary to the provision of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended and modified accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Separabilify Clause. - If any part or provisioq of this Act shall be 
held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 10. Hfecfjvify. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in English or Filipino in the Official Gazette or in at least two(2) newspapers 
of general circulation, whichever comes first. 
Approved,