Historical Perspective on the Philippines’ Special Education

1902 The interest to educate Filipino children with disabilities was expressed
during the American regime and through Mr. Fred Atkinson, the General
Superintendent of Education. He reported to the Secretary of Public
Instruction that deaf and blind children were found in a census of school-
aged children in Manila and nearby provinces. He proposed that these
children be enrolled in school like the other children.

1907 Special Education was formally started in the country by establishing the
Insular School for the Deaf and Blind in Manila. The Director of Public
Education, Mr. David Barrows, worked for the establishment of the Insular
School for the Deaf and the Blind. Miss Delight Rice, an American educator,
was the first Administrator and teacher of the special school.

1926 The Philippine Association for Deaf (PAD) was founded which composed
mostly of hearing impaired members and special education specialists.

1927 The government established the Welfareville Children’s Village, a school for
people with mental retardation in Mandaluyong, Rizal.

1936 Mrs. Maria Villa Francisco was appointed as the First Filipino principal of
the School for the Deaf and the Blind (SDB).

1945 The National Orthopedic Hospital School for the Crippled Children and Youth
was established for young patients who had to be hospitalized for long
periods of time.
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1949 Quezon City Science High School was inaugurated for gifted students.

1950 PAD opened a school for the children with hearing impairment.

1953 The Elshie Gaches Village was established in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Rizal to
take care of the abandoned and orphaned children and youth with physical
and mental handicaps.

1954 The first week of August was declared as Sight Saving Week.

1955 The Private Sector supported the government’s program for disabled
Filipinos. Members of Lodge No. 761 of the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks organized the Elks Cerebral Palsy Project Incorporated. First Parent
Teacher Work Conference in Special Education was held at the SDB.

1956 The First Summer Institute on Teaching the Deaf was held at the School for
1956 the Deaf and the Blind in Pasay City. This year marked the beginning of the
integration of deaf pupils in regular classes.

1957 The Bureau of Public Schools (BPS) of the Department of Education and
Culture (DECS) created the Special Education Section of the Special
Subjects and Services Division. The inclusion of special education in the
structure of DEC provided the impetus for the development of special
education in all regions of the country. The components of the special
education program included legislation, teacher training, census of
exceptional children and youth in schools and the community, the integration
of children with disabilities in regular classes, rehabilitation of residential and
special schools and material production. Baguio Vacation Normal School ran
courses on teaching children with handicaps. The Baguio City Special
Education Center was organized.

1958 The American Foundation for Overseas Blind (AFOB) opened its regional
office in Manila. AFOB assisted the special education program of DEC by
providing consultancy services in the teacher training program that focused
on the integration of blind children in regular classes and materials
production at the Philippine Printing House for the Blind.

1960 Some private college and universities started to offer special education
courses on graduate school curriculum.

1962 The Manila Youth Rehabilitation Center (MYRC) was opened. DEC issued
Circular No. 11 s. 1962 that Specified the “Qualifications of Special
Education Teachers. Another milestone in this year was the experimental
integration of blind children at the Jose Rizal Elementary School in Pasay
City.

1963 With the approval of R.A. No. 3562, the training of DEC teacher scholars for
blind children started at the Philippine Normal University. In the same year,
the Manila Science High School for gifted students was established.

1965 Marked the start of training programs for school administrators on the
organization, administration and supervision of special education classes
held at UP. The First Institute on the Education and Training of the Mentally
Retarded was sponsored by the Special Child Study Center, the Bureau

1967 The Bureau of Public Schools organized the National Committee on Special
education

1969 Classes for socially maladjusted children were organized at the manila Youth
Reception Center

1970 Training of teacher for Children with behaviour problems started at the
 University of the Philippines

1971 DECS issued a memorandum on Duties of the Special Education Teachers

for the blind

1973 The juvenile and domestic Relations Court of Manila established the
Tahanan Special School for the socially maladjusted children and youth.

1974 The First National Conference in the Rehabilitation of the Disabled was held
at the Social Security Building.

1975 The Division of Manila City Schools implemented the Silahis Concept of
Special Education in public elementary schools.

1977 ME C issued Department Order No. 10 that designated regional and division
supervisors of special education programs

1978 Marked the creation of the National Commission Concerning Disabled

Persons later renamed as the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled
Persons.

1979 The Bureau of Elementary Education Special Education unit conducted a

two-year nationwide survey if unidentified exceptional children who were in
school.

1980 The School for the Crippled Children at the Southern Island Hospital in Cebu
City was organized.

1981 The United States Assemble proclaimed the observance of the international
year of the disabled children

1983 Batas Pambansa enacted the Accessibility Law, an act to enhance the
nobility of the disabled persons by requiring cars, building, institutions,
establishments and public utilities to install facilities and other devices

1990 The Philippine institute for the Deaf, an oral school for children with hearing
impairment was established

1991 The First National Congress on Street Children was held at La Salle
Greenhills in San Juan Metro Manila

1992 The summer training for teacher of the visually impaired started at the
Philippine Normal University

1993 DECS issued Order No. 14 that directed regional officers to organize the
Regional Special Education Council (RESC)
1995 The summer training for teachers of the hearing impaired was held at PNU

1996 Third week of January was declared as “Autism Consciousness week”

1997 The first wheelaton-a-race for wheelchair users was the main event on the
National Disability prevention and Rehabilitation Week

1998 DECS order No. 5 “Reclassification of Regular tear and principal items to
SPED teacher and special schools principal item

1999 DECS order no. 33 “Implementation of administrative order no. 101 directing
the Department of Public Works and highways, the DECS and the CHED to
provide architectural facilities or structural feature for disabled persons in all
state college, universities and other buildings