REPRESENTATIVES:

RECEIVED
Republic of the Philippine: had 016

Quezon City

SE ENTEENTH CONGRES:

First Regular Session TON UNIT

BILLS AND INOLX SERVICE

House Bill No, “@ +8

Introduced by Representative GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF MUNICIPAL SPECIAL EDUCATION
CENTERS FOR DEAF-MUTE AND BLIND CHILDREN APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In DECS Order No. 117, series of 1987, under Policies and Guidelines governing Special
Education, it categorized and identified those persons who suffer sensory impairment as
a special education clientele. Therefore, children who are deaf-mute and blind fall under
such category. This bill proposes to concretize the constitutional mandate that that State
shall “promote the right of all citizens to quality education ... and to make such education
accessible to all.”

As compared to normal children, deaf-mute and blind children have different and special
needs which require careful attention and care. In the early 90's, the Congressional
Commission on Education or EDCOM had already reported the inadequacy of programs
and the poor access to special education (SPED) due to the limited number of special
schools and SPED centers in the country.

In view of the foregoing, this bill is timely and important as it seeks to address the
problem of limited SPED facilities by establishing Municipal Special Education Centers for
deaf-mute and biind children. This is to ensure the ease of accessibility for such children
to SPED facilities in every municipality throughout the country.

It is my fervent hope that our colleagues will ensure the speedy passage of this bill in to
law given its far-reaching impact.

GLOKIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

House Bill No. £210

Introduced by Representative GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF MUNICIPAL SPECIAL EDUCATION
CENTERS FOR DEAF-MUTE AND BLIND CHILDREN APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
establish, maintain and support Municipal Special Education Center (hereafter referred to.
as “ 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 Center: Creation and Purpose. - There
shall be created in every municipality throughout the country Municipal Special 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 services 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 of Municipal Special Education Center. -
The Secretary of DepEd is hereby authorize to give grants to, or enter into cooperative
arrangement or contracts with public or private non-profit agencies, institutions, or
organizations for the establishment or creation of Municipal Special Education Center for
deaf-mute and blind children and youth; Provided, that a grant made pursuant to this
section may be only for the following or similar programs;

(a) Technical assistance to Centers providing education services to deaf-mute
and blind children;

(b) Pre-service or in-service training of professional 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 of deaf-mute and blind children;

(d) Facilitation of parental involvement in the education of their deaf-mute and blind
children;


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(e) Diagnosis and education evaluation of deaf-mute and blind children at risk of
being certified deaf-mute and blind;

() Consultative, counseling and training services for the families of deaf mute and
blind children; and

(g) 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 Identity Special Needs of
Deaf-Mute and Blind Children. - The Special Education Division of the Department of
Education (DepEd), by itself or in association with such organizations or institutions as
are determined by the Secretary of DepEd 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 Center that will improve deaf-mute and
blind children’s acquisition of the skills 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 reaction
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 DepEd shall develop
special education courses for adoption and implementation by accredited institution of
higher education and universities: Provided, that such courses shall include subjects on
(a) special education,, and adaptive physical education; (b) special education supervision
and administration; and (c) special education research; Provided, finally, that the
Secretary of the DepEd may make grants, which may include scholarships with
necessary stipends and allowances, to institutions of higher education and/or universities
which offer such similar courses

SECTION 6. Annual Report to the Secretary of DepEd; Examination of Numbers
and Services and Revision of Numbers; Annual Report to Congress and Summary of
Data. —

(a) Centers established, created or supported under the Act as well as public or
nonprofit private agencies or organizations which are recipients of a grant shall
report annually to the Secretary of the DepEd on: (1) the number of recipients,
by age, severity and nature of deaf-muteness and blindness; (2) the number of
professionals and family members directly served by or serving in, each
Center; and (3) the types of services provided;

(b) The Secretary of the DepEd 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; and

(c) The Secretary of the DepEd shall summarize the data for submission in its
annual report to the Congress.

SECTION 7. Dissemination of Materials and Information Concerning Working
Practices with Deaf-Mute and Blind Children. - The Secretary of the DepEd, 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
term "deaf-mute and blind children” shall include the hearing, speech, and eyesight
impaired children from birth to eighteen years of age.

SECTION 9. Implementing Guideline for the Establishment of Municipal Special
Education Centers. — The DepEd 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
Center within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 10. Fund for the Establishment and Initial Operation of the Centers. —
Such sum as nay be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National
Treasury. Thereafter, the sums necessary for the continuous operation of the Center shall
be included in the annual appropriations of the DepEd

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision 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 shalll take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of the general circulation,

Approved,