Writer's View

As a nation of patterned tapestry, constantly creating laws based on pre-formatted templates provided by developed nations, we still have a long way to go, even in our copy-and-paste ideals.

Republic Act. 11650, known as “Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act,” or for a much shorter term, the Inclusive Education Act was signed into law and has been in effect since 2022. The law recognizes the right to education of every Filipino child, regardless of disability or impairment. Its provisions and objectives towards ensuring accessible quality education for all students, providing them with assistive services that the students and their families need, the role of the state and other national agencies are listed and most of which are patterned from the United States. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA is strictly implemented in the United States, governing to protect the rights of all children with disabilities and providing accommodations, modifications, and interventive services and programs that will eliminate the barriers to their learning. The implementation of this federal law enacts that free appropriate public education (FAPE) be given to all children with disabilities. To specify, William Heward and his colleagues emphasized the IDEA policies in their book Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, “This education must be provided at public expense–that is, without cost to the child’s parents.”  (Heward et al., 2013). This is manifested in one of the main objectives of the Republic Act 11650, as written and published by the Congress of the Philippines, which states,

“To provide learners with disabilities with free and appropriate public early and basic education and support and related services based on their needs and in preparation for independent living and community life.” (Congress of the Philippines, 2022).

Expectations vs. Reality

Following such grand promises written in 2021, which were effected in 2022, consecutive news reports were released in 2023, indicating that the Department of Education has no budget for special education. A news report by Inquirer.net encapsulates the whole false-promise extravaganza in a single headline: Zero budget for special education in 2023 makes SPED law ‘meaningless.’ (Dela Peña, 2023).

In response to the negative comments and aghast reactions from the Congress and the citizens, the DepEd said, “This is a recurring circumstance every year,” however, it is “not at a loss because we always work with members of Congress to find other ways to fund DepEd programs.” (as cited in Dela Peña, 2023). Furthermore, they stated that they submitted a budget report but were denied resources. This submission is in compliance with the provisions of the Inclusive Education Act: 

The DepEd shall submit the funding requirements, with its corresponding annual targets for the implementation of the roadmap to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other concerned agencies for the determination of appropriate budgetary allocation and inclusion under the yearly national expenditure program of the government. (Congress of the Philippines, 2022)

However, mere compliance does not justify this result, and DepEd’s yearly efforts of working with the congress to fund the SPED program are acknowledged but not enough nor even commended.

What the national government can do: corrective steps

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) released its first report in January 2024, displaying all issues found in the flawed education system of the Republic of the Philippines. The committee held itself and the government accountable by the very title of its report, Miseducation: The Failed System of Education and states:

from the fragmented implementation of ECCD interventions; the disjointed pathways in teacher development (from preservice to licensure, to hiring); the lack of education programs for critical education professionals; the absence of monitoring mechanisms, as well as the inequities reinforced by the Special Education Fund; and the ineffective coordination aggravated by the immoderate number of interagency bodies to which DepEd, CHED, and TESDA need to attend. This, amidst the ever expanding mandates of the 3 agencies, despite their finite number of personnel. (The Second Congressional Commission on Education, 2024)

This step of acknowledgment and admissions is a stepping stone towards ensuring that progress will ensue thereafter; however, to reiterate, it is a step further progress, but it is not a complete indicator of such. Therefore, one way to address the concern of funding for special education, is to first look at the nation which we had idealized our law from: the United States of America.

Transparency is key – not always confidential

A key component of the continuous success and progress of improvements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA is its utmost transparency in its funding allocation report. A quick search of IDEA funding allocation would show results of yearly and monthly fiscal reports of allocation of funds for the programs and services provided by the implementation of the federal law for each state, as appropriated by the congress. (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). Perhaps this is what lacks in our educational system and governing system as a whole; we lack transparency and specialize in ‘confidentiality.’ Fiscal transparency with the public is a matter of responsibility of the state that should not be played by ear nor be taken lightly. Xiao and Wang indicated in their research on  Fiscal transparency practice, challenges, and possible solutions: lessons from Covid 19, that such acts of management are considered effective means of showing accountability as public servants:

Governments must improve emergency fiscal transparency by disclosing more detailed information on the types and conditions of funding sources, extra- and off-budget revenue sources, and recipients and impacts of spending. (Xiao & Wang, 2023)

Although the research journal article’s basis of study is on Covid-19 analysis, its indication of government responsibility still applies, especially in matters pertaining to funds.

Limited use of the limited resources for SPED

In 2021, the Department of Education released guidelines on the utilization of support funds for special education (SPED) program. Looking at the DepEd order, clear similarities between IDEA objectives and mandated guidelines of DepEd are shown, where providing intervention services, removing barriers to learning, and providing support to the children and their parents are of high priority. (Department of Education, 2021). To make this happen, schools across the country must be provided with the necessary funds:

These efforts to provide access to quality and equitable basic education for learners with disabilities (LWDs) require that schools be equipped with additional resources to address their unique educational needs. It is for this reason that schools shall be provided with program support funds. (Department of Education, 2021)

In the aforementioned guidelines, eligible expenses, release of funds, and monitoring policies are indicated. Therefore, it is valid to say that the mandates and provisions of the law created are not at fault, but compliance and effective implementation of the policies are. After all, “the mere existence of a law does not guarantee its effective implementation.” (Gabenski, 2024).

SPED and the teacher education

The EDCOMM II year 1 report also highlighted the lack of educational programs and pathways to teacher education. This statement rightfully applies to the special education program as well. Given that the emergence of special education was only recent, it is understandable that relevant programs and supportive services would still be unavailable. Thus, steps must be taken by government agencies such as the Department of Education to provide training and awareness seminars and programs regarding interaction with and among students with disabilities (Sagun-Ongtangco et al., 2019). This will serve as preparatory grounds for the steady growth of the system towards the objective roadmap of the Inclusive Education Act of achieving and providing inclusive education in the Philippines. (Congress of the Philippines, 2022).

The main template of many special education programs globally, the United States’ IDEA has many reasons for its profound effectiveness, one of them being is the empowerment and support for teachers. The National Association of Elementary School Principals briefly described this premise as follows:

Provide professional development on supporting students with disabilities, encourage special education teachers to train general education staff to build respect and collaboration, and create protected time for general and special education teachers to plan together. (Gabenski, 2024)

Educator’s role as per EDCOM II

The national government recognized its faults in this matter, stating, “Ultimately, this has led to the “miseducation”—or plainly, poorly delivered education—of Filipino learners, bringing about a profound education crisis, as has been laid bare by both national and international assessments—issues that the Commission now seeks to squarely address.” (Congress of the Philippines, 2022). Now, as an aspiring educator, I hope to make a difference that of which I can partake in. 

I can only hope that our nation’s public servants will fulfill their long-overdue promises and serve the Filipino people justly. That is, to allocate the funds accordingly so that children with disabilities can receive the quality education that they rightfully deserve. However, as an aspiring educator, I aim to make a difference within the educational system of our developing nation so that every child will get to learn and will not be put down by a normative society. 

While our national leaders are still working on fixing a flawed allocating system and are working on continuously developing training programs for educators’ awareness of students with special needs, I will be providing accommodations, modifications, and interventive services to my students so that we can remove all barriers to their learning together; the way my previous teachers did for me.