SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
'14 
DEC 10 1\9 :10 
S.B. No. 2505 
________ ~U;CEIVE!) BY:-t~ 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE SERVICES OF A DEVELOPMENTAL-BEHAVIORAL 
PEDIATRICIAN IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY WITH A SPECIAL 
EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREOF 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In 1992, Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons was passed. 
In consonance with this, the institutionalization of special needs education was 
forwarded in order to provide access to basic education among learners with special 
needs. However, the provision of a special education progrrun is not enough. Before it 
can even be undertaken, it is crucial to identify the special needs of each learner so that 
specific interventions can be furnished and proper educational placement can be 
undertaken. Although current laws and department orders mandate pre-assessment 
and post assessment of each learner with special needs, the persons required to do -
special education teachers and psychologists - are limited by their respective 
educational attainment. Thus, in order to correctly evaluate and identify the condition 
of a learner with special needs and provide individualized treatment for each, it is 
crucial that the evaluation is conducted by a developmental-behavioral pediatrician. 
This bill aims to address the foregoing by providing for the services of a 
developmental-behavioral pediatrician in every city and municipality with a special 
education progrrun in its public schools. It is important to clarify that this bill only 
provides for the services and not for the full time employment of a developmental-
behavioral pediatrician. 
This is because of their limited number in the country. 
Currently, there are less than fifty developmental-behavioral pediatricians all over the 
Philippines. As such, in order to make do with and maximize the available resources, it 
is but practical that the bill only provides for their services and not for their full time 
employment. 
Cf'~ANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SEN AA'.E 
S.B. No. _~_:J_O 5 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
, 
. 
~~Pt1:Jlr 
Hl}thn- ~If t~(l j.f'tTrbr\t 
'14 
OEC 10 A9 :10 
PROVIDING 
FOR 
THE 
SERVICES 
OF 
A 
DEVELOPMENTAL-BEHAVIORAL 
PEDIATRICIAN IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY WITH A 
SPECIAL 
EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREOF 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
I 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY. - The Constitution recognizes the key role of 
2 
education in society. It is the duty of the State to give priority to education. In addition to 
3 
this, the state shall promote and maintain equality of access to education as well as the 
4 
enjoyment of the benefits of education by all its citizens regardless of sex, age, creed, socio-
5 
economic status, physical and mental condition, social or ethnic origin, political and other 
6 
affiliation. 
7 
8 
SECTION 2. SCOPE. - This law shall apply to all cities and mUnicipalities in the Philippines 
9 
with a special education program in their public schools. 
10 
II 
SECTION 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS. - The following terms used in this Act are hereby 
12 
defined: 
13 
14 
a. Learner with special needs refer either to 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
i. 
ii. 
children or adults with identified disability, health, or mental health conditions 
requiring early intervention, special education services, or other specialized 
services and supports who are part of a special education program in a public 
school; or 
children or adults without identified conditions, but requiring specialized 
services, supports, or monitoring who are part of a special education program 
in a public school; 
23 
b. A developmental-behavioral pediatrician is a person who has a license to practice 
24 
medicine, finished three years of training in pediatrics, has a board certification in 


1 
2 
3 
pediatrics, and has additional subspecialty training in developmental-behavioral 
pediatrics, and the certification for it; 
4 
c. Special education programs in public schools are those established by the Department 
5 
of Education for the implementation of a nationwide special education program 
6 
pursuant to Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta of Disabled Persons; 
7 
8 
d. Special education refers to the education of persons who are gifted or talented and 
9 
those who have physical, mental, social or sensory impairment and cultural differences 
10 
that require modification of the school curricula, programs and special services and 
11 
physical facilities to enable them to develop themselves to their maximum capacity. 
12 
These persons include those with cognitive deficits, visually impaired, hearing 
13 
impaired, with behavioral problems, orthopedically handicapped, with special health 
14 
problems, learning disabled, speech impaired or multiple handicapped. 
15 
16 
SECTION 4. SERVICES OF A DEVELOPMENTAL-BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICIAN. -
17 
Each city or municipality shall engage the services of a developmental-behavioral 
18 
pediatrician at the start of every academic year. 
19 
20 
SECTION 
5. 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
OF 
THE 
DEVELOPMENTAJ~-BEHAVIORAL 
21 
PEDIATRICIAN. - The developmental-behavioral pediatrician shall perform the following 
22 
services: 
23 
24 
a. Evaluate every learner with special needs at the start of every academic year; 
25 
26 
b. Prepare an evaluation including a recommended program for every learner with 
27 
special needs at the start of every academic year; 
28 
29 
c. Meet and expiain the evaluation and recommendation to the special education 
30 
teachers, school staff, and parents or guardians of each learner with special needs at 
31 
the start of every academic year. 
32 
33 
SECTION 6. COMPENSATION. - The developmental-behavioral psychiatrist shall receive a 
34 
compensation of not less than Five Hundred pesos (Php 500.00) per learner with special 
35 
needs evaluated. Half of the total amount shall be charged to the annual appropriations of 
36 
the Department of Education, while the remaining half shall be charged to the annual 
37 
appropriations of the City or Municipality where the public school with a special education 
38 
program is located. 


1 
SECTION 7. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. 
-
The amount necessary for the initial 
2 
implementation of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the Department of 
3 
Education. 
Thereafter, half of the amount necessary for the continued services of a 
4 
developmental-behavioral psychiatrist shall be included in the annual budget of the city or 
5 
municipality where the public school with a special education program is located, while, the 
6 
remaining half shall be included in the annual budget of the Department of Education. 
7 
8 
SECTION 8. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. - The Department of 
9 
Education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions 
10 
under this law. 
11 
12 
SECTION 9. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If any provision or part of this Act shall be 
13 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall 
14 
remain in full force and effect. 
15 
16 
SECTION 10. REPEALING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances, rules 
17 
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
18 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
19 
20 
SECTION 11. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
21 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,