House of Representative Plenary Hall
Photo file/THEPHILBIZNEWS
By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
Aware of the challenges and unique needs of Learners with Disabilities, E-Net Philippines, a national education network of 130 civil society organizations, non-government organizations and people’s organizations, commend the House of Representatives for voting 197-0-0 to pass on final reading HB 8080, a bill on Instituting Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education and Establishing Inclusive Learning Resources in all School Districts.
Apart from the House of Representatives, the education advocates also extolled that ongoing efforts in the Senate, led by the Senate Basic Education, Arts and Culture Committee to fastrack deliberations of a counterpart bill.
Photo file/THEPHILBIZNEWS
E-Net Philippines has been an active participant in preparing and advocating for improved versions of consolidated legislative bills filled in both Houses of the Philippine Congress on “Ensuring Inclusive Education for All Learners with Disabilities”.
While education is enshrined as a fundamental right in the Philippine Constitution and the 2006 UNCRPD, the access to appropriate inclusive education including instructional materials, assistive devices and trained teachers and specialists to meet the needs of learners with disabilities, remain an elusive dream. The Philippine government gave its word that the remaining years of its administration will focus on “Malasakit” which is one of its pillars for inclusive growth in the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan (PDP).
We, in E-Net Philippines, Advocates and Supporters of inclusive education education for learners with disabilities and most especially, the Disability Community-persons with disabilities and their families and carers, educators and other professional service providers, also call for “malasakit” in a similar but more impassioned manner for all our learners with disabilities all over the country.
As one of the most identifiable marginalized sectors, they have long experienced indifference and neglect. Ensuring their right to an inclusive education and other public services is long overdue.
We end with an urgent plea that the bill on Instituting Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education and Establishing Inclusive Learning Resource Centers in All School Districts be a priority bill passed thru the collaborative efforts of the House of Representatives, the Philippine Senate and Advocates within the 18th Congress.
Pass the bill on Instituting Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education and Establishing Inclusive Learning Resource Centers in all School Districts NOW!
