HISTORY OF

SPECIAL
EDUCATION IN
THE PHILIPPINES
 1902 1907 1926

 The interest to educate  Special education  the Philippines

Filipino children with program formally Association for the
disabilities was expressed more started in the deaf (PAD)
than a century, that was country, was formed composed mostly of
pinpointed by by Mr. David hearing impaired
Fred-Atkinsons Borrows members.

1927 1936 1945

 Mrs. Maria Villa

 The government  National Orthopedic
Francisco was
established the Hospital opened its school
appointed as the first to crippled Children
Welfareville
Filipino principal of ( NOHSCC) for young patients
Children’s Village
the school for the who had to be hospitalized
in Mandaluyong,
Deaf and the Blind for long periods of time.
Rizal.
(SDB)

1949
 Quezon City Science
High School for gifted students
was inaugurated.
In the same year, the
Philippine Foundation for the
Rehabilitation of Disabled
(PFRD) was organized.
1954
 First week of August
was declared as
Sight Saving Week.
1950
 PAD, opened a school
for children with
hearing impairment.
1955
 Members of Lodge no.
761 of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks organized the Elks
Cerebral Palsy Project Incorporated
and also the First Parent Teachers Work
Conference in Special Education was
held at the SDB.
1953
 The Elsio Gaches Village
(EGV) was established in
Alabang, Muntinlupa, Rizal top
take care of abandoned and
orphaned children and youth
with physical and mental
handicaps.
1956
 The first summer
Institution on teaching the
“deaf and Blind in Pasay city.
The following school year
also marked the beginning of
deaf pupils in regular school
 1957
 Bureau of Public
Schools (BPS) of Department
of Education and Culture (DEC)
created the special Education
Section of the Special Subjects
and Services Division.
 PFRD sponsored the
Second Pan Pacific Rehabilitation
Conference in Manila that
convened international experts in
the rehabilitation of handicapped
persons.
 Some private colleges
 The Baguio City Special
Education Center was
organized in the same
year
 DEC issued Circular
No. 11 s. 1962 that specified the
“Qualifications of Special
Education Teacher”
1960
and universities started
to offer special
education courses in
their graduate school
curriculum.
1962
 The Manila Youth
and Rehabilitation Center
(MYRC) was opened
 The center extended
services to children and youth
who were emotionally disturbed
and socially maladjusted.
 Experimental
Integration of blind
children at the Jose
Rizal Elementary School
in Pasay City.
 First National Seminar in  St. Joseph of Cupertino
Special Education was School for the Mentally
held at SDB in Pasay City Retarded, a private day
in 1962. school, was founded.

1963
 Under R.A. 5250, the training
of DEC teacher scholars at the
 Philippine General
 With the approval of R.A. University of the Philippines
Hospital opened classes commenced in 1962 in the areas
No. 3562, the training of
for its school-age of hearing impairment, mental
DEC teacher scholars for
chronically ill patients. retardation and mental
blind children started at
giftedness.
the Philippine Normal
College in 1963.

 Philippine Printing House
for the Blind was established
at the DEC compound with the
assistance of the American
Foundation for Overseas Blind,
UNICEF and CARE Philippines.
 First Asian conference
on work for the blind
was held in manila
196
7
 
 Manila Science High  BPS organized the
School for gifted national committee
students was
on special education
established.
196
8
 With the approval  General letter no.213
of RA no. 5250 the teacher
was issued regulating
training program for teachers
of exceptional children was
the size of special
held at the Philippine normal classes for maximum
college for the next 10 years effectiveness
 196
9
 Classes for socially  Jose fabella memorial 2. Philippine Training
school was divided into 5
maladjusted children School for Girls (Alabang)
units:
were held at manila
youth reception 1. Philippine Training 3. Reception and Child
center. School for Boys (Tanay) Study Center (Manila)

197
0
 The school for the deaf  RA No. 5250 teacher 4. Elsie Gaches Village
and the blind was training program for (Alabang)
reorganized into 2 children with
separate residential behavioural problem 5. Nayon ng Kabataan
schools: started at UP (Pasay, City)
 1973

 The School for the  First Asian conference  Juvenile and domestic
Deaf (PSD) on mental retardation relations court of
 Philippine National was held in manila manila established
School for the Blind the Tahanan special
(PNSD) school for socially
maladjusted

1975 1974

 Division of Manila city

 First national
schools implemented  South East Asian
conference in the
the Silahis concept of Institute for Deaf
rehabilitation of the
special education in (SAID) a private
disabled was held at
public elementary school was
the social security
school. established
building in Quezon city
 197
6
 DEC was  The special subjects  Proclamation of
reorganized into and services 1605 declared
Ministry of division was 1977 to 1987 as
Education Culture abolished Decade of the
(MEC) Filipino Child

 Juvenile and Domestic  First Camp Pag-ibig, a  The National

Relations Court in
Quezon City organized
the Molave Youth Hall for
children with Behavior
Problems
day camp for
Action Plan was
handicapped children
held on Valentine’s Day promulgated
in Balara, Quezon City
 197
7

 West Visayas State  Bacara Special

 MEC issued
College of Iloilo City Education Center,
Department Order No.
10 that designated started its teacher Divisions of Ilocos
regional and division training program and Sur and Bacolod
supervisors for special offered scholarship Special Education
education program for qualified teachers Center, Division of
Bacolod City

1978

 MEC Memorandum
 The University of  Creation of National
No. 285 directed schools
the Philippines Commission Concerning
divisions to organize special
opened its Disabled Person
classes with a set of
(NCCDP), later renamed
special education guidelines on the
National Council for the
teacher training designation of teachers who
Welfare of Disabled
program for have no formal training in
Persons or NCWDP
undergraduate special education.
through Presidential
students. Decree 1509
  The Davao Special
 Meanwhile, the School was established  The Second
Philippine Association in the Division of International Conference
for the Deaf started its Davao City while the on Legislation Concerning
mainstreaming Philippine High School Disabled was held in
program in the for the Arts was Manila under the
Division of Manila City organized in leadership of the PFRD.
Schools. Mt.Makiling,Laguna

198
197
0
 The Caritas Medico- 9
 The School for  The Bureau of
Pedagogical Institution
Crippled Children Elementary Education
for Mentally Retarded
at the Southern Special Education Unit
was organized. The
Island Hospital in conducted a survey
Jagna Special Education
Cebu was for unidentified
Center in the Division
organized. exceptional children
of Bohol was organized.
who were in school.
 198
1
 United Nations 3 special education
Assembly program were
proclaimed the inaugurated:
 Exceptional Child
observance of the
Learning Center at the
International Year of West City Central
Disabled Persons School Division of
Dumaguete City
1983
 Batas Pambansa Bilang 344
 Batac Special enacted the Accessibility
Law,"An Act to Enhance the
Education Center in
Mobility of Disabled Persons
thr Division of Ilocos
by Requiring Cars, Buildings,
Norte was organized. Institutions, Establishments
and Public Utilities to Install
Facilities and Other Devices"
 Zapatera Special
Education Center at
the Division of Cebu
 Deaf Evangelistic
Alliance Foundation
(DEAF), Cavinti
Laguna
1982
 Special schools opened:
Cebu State College Special High
School for the Deaf, Siaton
Special Education Center in the
Division of Negros Oriental and
St. John Maria de Vianney Special
Education Learning Center
in Quezon City
 1984
2 Special Programs were
Innaugurated:
 Labangon Special Education
Center Division of Cebu City
and the Northern Luzon
Association's Heinz Wolke
School for the Blind at the
Marcos Highway
in Baguio City.
1996
 3rd week of January was
declared as Autism
Consciousness Week
 First Seminar Workshop on
Information Technology for
the Visually Impaired.
1990 1992
 Summer Training for
 Philippine Institute for the Teachers of the Visually
Deaf (PID) was established Impaired started at the
Philippine Normal University
1995 1993
 DECS issued Order No. 14
 First National Congress on
that directed regional
Mental Retardation at the
offices to organize the
University of the Philippines
Regional Special Education
in Diliman, Quezon City.
Council (RSEC)
 1997
 DECS Order No. 1
was issued which detected the
organization of a Regional Special
Education Unit and the
Designation of a Regional
Supervisor for Special Education.
 First Teacher Training
Program for the Integration
of Autistic Children was held
in Marikina City
 DECS order no.26.
Institutional of Special
Education in all schools was
promulgated
 The Urdaneta II Special
Education Center was opened
in the Division of Urdaneta City
and the Bayawan West Special
Education Center in the
Division of Negros Oriental
 The first Philippine
Wheelathon-a-race for
Wheelchair. Users was the main
event of the 19th National
Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week.
 The SPED Mobile Training
on Inclusive Education at the
Regional level held with funding
from CBM
 1998
 DECS Order No. 5
“Reclassification of Regular
Teacher and Principal Items to
Special Education Teacher and
Special Schools Principal Item”
 DECS order no. 448
“Search for the 1999 most
Outstanding Special Education
Teacher for the Gifted and the
Memorandum no. 457 “National
Photo Contest on Disability”
 Palarong Pinoy May K was
held at Philsport Complex in
Pasig City
 DECS no. 108
“Strengthening of Special
Education Programs for the
Gifted in the Public School
System”
 The La Union Special
Education Center was
opened in the Division of La
Union
1999
 Issuance of the following:
DECS order no.104 “ Exemption
on Physically Handicapped from
taking the National Elementary
Achievement Test (NEAT) and The
National Secondary Aptitude Test
(NSAT)”
 DECS orders were issued:  No. 33 “ Implementation of
No. 11 “ Recognized Special Administrative Order No. 101
Education Centers in the Directing the Department of
Philippines Public Works and Highways”
 AGREDA, KARIN KAYE
CLARO,SHEENA MAE
CLEMENO, MA. JAMILLE
CALIMPONG, CYRUS BELLE
DE LA CRUZ, ANGEL FAITH
LAMONTE, LARRY
LANDAR, KARL LOUIE
LANIHAN, PATRICIA

BACHELOR OF CULTURE AND ARTS EDUCATION 1 -

A