Gatchalian proposes increase in SPED budget; wants learners with disabilities centers in all regions

To ensure that every region in the country has a model Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) for Learners with Disabilities, Senator Win Gatchalian is proposing to increase the Department of Education's capital outlay budget for Special Education (SPED) from P96 million to P160 million.

The P96 million allocation was intended for the conversion of 16 SPED Centers nationwide to ILRCs, which are mandated to deliver free support services to learners with disabilities, including language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical and physiotherapy, provision of qualified sign language interpreters, and other similar services, aids, and actions that facilitate the learning process. These centers are also mandated to implement inclusive education programs. The minimum funding requirement for the conversion of SPED Centers, however, ranges from P8 million to P10 million.

"This representation sincerely recommends that we increase the budget of capital outlay from P96 million to P160 million just to convert SPED centers in all regions, and we will have one model ILRC per region," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, during his interpellation of the proposed DepEd budget for 2023.

The senator added that he will submit his proposals on potential funding sources to the Senate Committee on Finance.

Gatchalian pointed out that ensuring funds for SPED is aligned with 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.

The law mandates that the Department of Education (DepEd), in collaboration with local government units (LGUs), shall initially establish and maintain at least one ILRC in all cities and municipalities. The law further provides that all existing SPED Centers shall be converted to and renamed ILRCs.

Gatchalian has been emphasizing the need to ensure support for learners with disabilities, especially because they were among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. DepEd data as of March 14, 2022 reveals that there were 126,598 learners with disabilities enrolled in DepEd schools for School Year (SY) 2021-2022, 65% lower than the 360,879 recorded for SY 2019-2020.

Center para sa learners with disabilities kada rehiyon isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Upang matiyak na bawat rehiyon sa bansa ay may modelong Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) para sa learners with disabilities, iminungkahi ni Senador Win Gatchalian na itaas sa P160 milyon mula sa P96 milyon ang pondo para sa capital outlay ng Department of Education (DepEd) para sa Special Education (SPED).

Ang P96 milyong pondo ay nakalaan para gawing ILRC ang labing anim na SPED Centers. Mandato sa mga ILRC na ito ang maghatid ng libreng support services, kabilang ang language at speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical at physiotherapy, at iba pang mga serbisyo at hakbang na makatutulong sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan.

"Taos-puso kong inirerekomenda ang dagdag pondo sa capital outlay ng DepEd para sa SPED upang makapag-convert tayo ng SPED center sa bawat rehiyon, at magkaroon tayo ng modelong ILRC kada rehiyon," ani Gatchalian, sa kanyang interpellation sa panukalang pondo ng DepEd para sa taong 2023.

Dagdag ng senador, magrerekomenda siya sa Senate Committee on Finance ng kanyang mungkahing pagkukunan ng pondo.

Para kay Gatchalian, ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa SPED ay sang-ayon sa pagsasabatas ng 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 nag-sponsor ng naturang batas noong 18th Congress.

Mandato ng batas sa DepEd na makipag-ugnayan sa mga local government units upang makapagpatayo ng ILRC kada lungsod at munisipalidad sa bansa. Nakasaad din sa batas na lahat ng mga center para sa kabataang may kapansanan ay gagawin nang ILRC.

Muling binigyang diin ni Gatchalian ang pagbibigay ng suporta para sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan, lalo na't kasama sila sa mga pinaka-apektado ng pandemya ng COVID-19. Batay sa datos ng DepEd noong Marso 14, 2022, may 126,598 na mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan ang nag-enroll sa mga DepEd schools para sa School Year (SY) 2021-2022. Ito ay mas mababa ng 65 porsyento sa 360,879 na naitala para sa School Year 2019-2020.