US report: Philippine laws for persons with disabilities, special education not effectively enforced

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the passage of a law requiring all cities and municipalities to establish a learning center for students with disabilities, the Philippines has yet to effectively enforce the measure, according to the US State Department’s report on the country's human rights practices.

“The law was not effectively enforced, and many barriers remained for persons with disabilities,” the report stated.

Republic Act 11650 or the "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act” was passed in 2022. It requires every city and municipality to have an inclusive learning center to increase the access to education among Filipino students with disabilities. 

The 2022 country report also stated that several schools had “architectural barriers” that make it difficult for persons with physical disabilities to attend classes on-site.

Most public buildings in the country also remained inaccessible to persons with physical disabilities, according to the report.

No nationwide coverage of SPED program for students 

Data from the Department of Education showed that enrollment of students with disabilities dropped significantly or by 74% during the pandemic after only around 94,000 enrolled in 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic figure of 360,000.

Meanwhile, the US Department noted that some schoolchildren with disabilities also attended schools in mainstream or inclusive educational settings where they mix with students with no disability.

This is compounded by the problem that even with 648 special education programs offered by DepEd, this “did not provide nationwide coverage,” the report stated.

The Philippine government also “lacked a clear system for informing parents of children with disabilities of their educational rights” and “did not have a well-defined procedure for reporting discrimination in education.”

Difficulty collecting and monitoring data related to the plight of students with disabilities is not new in the Philippines. 

The latest data from DepEd on victims of bullying in schools did not have specific data for children with disabilities despite their increased risk these students face.