FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
~j, 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 660 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
There is a need to enhance access to quality education particularly for 
children and youth with special educational needs such as the gifted, the gifted 
but physically handicapped, the fast learners, the mentally retarded, the visually 
impaired (blind), the hearing-impaired, the orthopedically handicapped, the 
speech impaired, those with behavior problems, those with learning disabilities 
and those with special health problems and others have not received as much 
attention as it should have. The lack of classrooms, physical facilities and special 
equipment suitable to the needs of the disabled, the dearth of specially trained 
teachers and school administrators for the various exceptionalities has remained 
a perennial problem. 
Parent education is an urgent need in the campaign to enhance home-
school relationships and to maximize their sense of competence and involvement 
in the education of their handicapped and as well as the gifted children. Over the 
years, the Bureau of Elementary Education has worked for the improvement of 
the delivery system despite and against any constraints. These efforts can only 
be sustained if they are anchored on a legal mandate that fully supports and 
ensures the continuity of long-term programs to help develop the potential of 
handicapped and gifted persons. In this way, self-reliance that has been wanting 
among the handicapped who are potential assets to themselves and to the 
country could be developed. 
With the advent of the worldwide movement of Education for All (EFA), 
adequate provision for the education of the handicapped and the gifted will 
contribute to the achievement of its objectives which emphasizes the eradication 
of illiteracy, greater effectiveness of learning for all and the acquisition of basic 
skills, knowledge and attitudes to empower them for a better quality of life. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
-
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 660 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO EXPAND AND REVITALIZE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR 
GIFTED AND HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Gifted and 
Handicapped Children and Youth Act." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Pplicy. - The State shall recognize the vital role of 
the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. It shall give priority to education, 
science and technology, arts, culture and ports to foster patriotism and 
nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote human liberation and 
development. 
SEC. 3. Special Education Program - Pursuant to the foregoing policy, 
there shall be established in every school division a comprehensive special 
education program for handicapped and gifted children and youth in the pre-
elementary, elementary, and secondary levels throughout the country with the 
following essential program components. 
(a) Educational diagnosis and assessment essential to the proper 
identification of gifted and handicapped children and youth. 
(b) Pre-service and continuing in-service training for teaching and non-
teaching personnel to ensure staff competence; 
(c) Expanded curriculum development and evaluation to meet the 
diversified needs of the clientele; 
(d) Continuing research as basis for improvement of instruction at the pre-
elementary, elementary and secondary levels and in planning and service 
programming activities including the purchase of special facilities and equipment; 
(e) Parent-education informing them of available services, placement 
options and other relevant information to enable them to make informed 
decisions. 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 


(a) "Gifted" shall refer to one who shows advanced development and 
potential for at least above average verbal or linguistic intelligence, logical or 
mathematical intelligence, body or kinesthetic intelligence, visual or spatial 
intelligence, musical or rhythmic i'ntelligence or leadership ability. 
(b) "Handicapped" shall refer to one who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more of higher psychological, 
physiological or anatomical functions. 
(c) "Secretary" shall refer to the Secretary of the Department of Education. 
SEC. 5. Organization. - Every public school division throughout the 
country shall organize special classes for gifted and handicapped children and 
youth in the pre-elementary, elementary and secondary levels. The organization 
of pre-school classes for these children and youth shall be strongly encouraged 
to ensure early educational intervention. 
Every public school division shall also organize special education centers 
which shall include non-formal and outreach programs for out-of school children 
and youth. 
. 
SEC. 6. Special Services. - Special schools and special education 
centers shall offer a range of special services which shall include medical, 
psychological and social services, diagnostic counseling, vocational and 
recreational services. Regular schools within the school division with speCial 
education classes shall have access to the above services. 
SEC. 7. Provision for Continuing Research to Identify Special Needs 
of Gifted and Handicapped Children and youth. - The Special Education 
Division of the Department of Education, by itself or in association with such 
organizations or institutions as are determined by the Secretary to be 
appropriate, shall undertake continuing research to identify and design a 
comprehensive special educational program that meets the full range of special 
needs of gifted and handicapped children and youth: Provided, That such 
continuing research shall also be used to develop instructional techniques for use 
by special education centers that will improve the acquisition by handicapped 
children and youth of 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 recreation program for use by special education centers to increase 
the potential of handicapped children and youth for community participation. 
SEC. 8. Skills training. - Vocational education and training shall be 
provided and strengthened to render handicapped children and youth more 
skillful and competitive. 
SEC. 9. Teacher's Item. - Wherever requirements are met, the salary 
grade of teachers handling special education classes shall be two grades higher 
than that of a regular teacher and their present items shall be reclassified to 
special education teacher items. Items for special education supervisor in each 
public school division and head teachers of special education centers shall be 
created for effective administration and supervision of the comprehensive special 
education program. 
SEC. 10. Provision for Training of Personnel. - The Department of 
Education, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education and the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, shall develop special 


education courses for adoption and implementation by accredited higher 
education institutions; 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 may make grants, which may include scholarships with 
necessary stipends and allowances, to institutions of higher education and 
universities which already offer such or similar courses. 
SEC. 11. Teacher Training. - All teacher training institutions, public or 
private, offering Bachelor's degree in Education shall include Special Education 
subjects as basic knowledge to students in teacher education. 
SEC. 12. Authority of the Secretary of Education. - The Secretary of 
Education, is charged with the administration and enforcement of the provisions 
of this Act and shall promulgate and issue the necessary implementing rules and 
regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act. A copy of such 
rules and regulations shall furnish the Congress of the Philippines. 
He/She is hereby authorized to organize a group under higher office to 
intensify the supervision and development efforts on special education at the 
elementary and secondary levels, including out-of-school children and youth. 
SEC. 13. Dissemination of Materials and Information Concerning 
Working Practices with Gifted and Handicapped Children and Youth. The 
Secretary, 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 gifted and handicapped 
children and youth. 
SEC. 14. Appropriation. - The initial amount of Fifty Million Pesos 
(P50,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the President's 
Organization Adjustment Fund to carry out the provisions of this Act on the year 
of its approval. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary to sustain and 
maintain the program mandated in this Act shall be included in the budget of the 
Department of Education, Culture and Sports in the General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 15. Incentives for Private Individuals/Entities. - Donations, gifts, 
bequests in the form of cash, building, land or improvements thereon, from 
private entities as well as private corporations, which shall be made to the 
Department of Education for the purposes of this Act, shall constitute allowable 
deduction from the income of the donor for income tax purposes and shall be 
exempted form donor's tax, subject to such conditions as provided under the 
National Internal Revenue Code.' 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - Any law, act, decree, order, proclamation 
or regulation or part thereof inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
SEC. 17. Separability Clapse. - In the event that any provision of this Act, 
or part thereof, it is hereby declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining 
provisions thereof shall 
be considered valid and binding. 
SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
from its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
Approved,