Gatchalian: Inclusive education law for learners with disabilities must be fully enforced

The government must commit to fully and effectively implement the law on inclusive education for learners with disabilities, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

The senator is referring to Republic Act No. 11650 or Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act, which he sponsored during the 18th Congress.

According to the 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in the Philippines by the United States Department of State, the law was not effectively enforced and that many barriers remain, including architectural barriers that made attendance difficult for persons with disabilities. Stakeholders and advocates have also lamented the non-issuance of the law's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) after more than a year since it was passed.

Gatchalian also emphasized the urgency of issuing the law's IRR since it will provide the minimum services and conditions in the admissions systems and policies of all schools, including the provision of assistive devices, facilities and infrastructure in the admission process, and other forms of reasonable accommodation.

The US Department of State Report also noted that the government 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.

To ensure the progressive realization of the objectives of RA 11650, the crafting of a multi-year roadmap is required to guide government agencies and private stakeholders. The law provides that the multi-year roadmap should contain the current policy, practices, gaps, and challenges affecting the early and basic education of learners with disabilities. It shall set detailed targets and outcomes for a minimum period of five years.

The law mandates the establishment of at least one Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) for Learners with Disabilities in every city and municipality. These ILRCs are mandated to implement inclusive education programs and deliver free support services to learners with disabilities.

While it may take some time before the law is fully implemented, Gatchalian identified some steps that the government can take. For one, he pointed out that under the 2023 national budget, P160 million is allotted under the Department of Education's capital outlay to allow each region to convert at least one Special Education Center (SPED) into a model ILRC. This will steadily expand access to inclusive education programs, Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian: Batas sa Inclusive Ed para sa learners with disabilities dapat epektibong naipapatupad

Sinabi ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dapat tinitiyak ng pamahalaan ang epektibong pagpapatupad ng batas sa inclusive education para sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan.

Ang tinutukoy ni Gatchalian ay ang Republic Act No. 11650 o ang Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act. Si Gatchalian ang sponsor ng naturang batas noong 18th Congress.

Ayon kasi sa 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices ng Pilipinas na inilabas ng United States State Department, hindi epektibong naipapatupad ang batas at nananatili ang maraming mga balakid sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan, kabilang ang mga hadlang sa imprastraktura na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hirap ang mga may kapansanan na makapag-aral. Pinuna naman ng mga stakeholders at mga advocates na bagama't mahigit isang taon na simula nang nilagdaan ang batas, hindi pa lumalabas ang Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) nito.

Binigyang diin ni Gatchalian ang mahalagang papel ng IRR lalo na't ito ang magtatakda sa mga minimum services at conditions sa mga admission system at polisiya ng mga paaralan, kabilang ang probisyon ng mga assistive devices, mga pasilidad at imprastraktura para sa proseso ng admission, at iba pang mga anyo ng reasonable accommodation.

Tinukoy din sa ulat ng US Department of State na walang malinaw na sistema ang pamahalaan para ipalaganap sa mga magulang at mga batang may kapansanan ang kanilang mga karapatan sa edukasyon. Ayon pa rin sa naturang ulat, walang malinaw na proseso para sa pag-uulat ng diskriminasyon sa edukasyon.

Upang matiyak ang unti-unting pagsasakatuparan sa mga layunin ng RA 11650, nakasaad sa batas na kinakailangan ang pagbuo ng multi-year roadmap na gagabay sa pamahalaan at sa pribadong sektor. Nakasaad sa batas na dapat ilagay sa multi-year roadmap ang kasalukuyang polisiya, mga practices, mga kakulangan, at mga hamong kinakaharap sa edukasyon ng mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan. Mandato ng roadmap na magbalangkas ng mga detalyadong target at mga inaasahang resulta sa loob ng limang taon.

Sa ilalim ng batas, dapat makapagpatayo ng isang Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) para sa learners with disabilities sa bawat lungsod at munisipalidad. Inaasahang ipapatupad ng mga ILRC ang mga programa para sa inclusive education at maghahatid ng mga libreng serbisyo para sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan.

Bagama't matatagalan pa bago makamit nang ganap ang mga layunin ng batas, tinukoy ni Gatchalian na may ilang mga hakbang na maaari nang gawin ang pamahalaan. Sa ilalim ng 2023 national budget, may P160 milyong nakalaan sa capital outlay ng Department of Education (DepEd) para sa pag-convert ng isang Special Education Center kada rehiyon upang maging modelong ILRC. Unti-unti nitong palalawigin ang access sa mga programa para sa inclusive education, paliwanag ni Gatchalian.