MANILA, Philippines – House basic education committee chairperson Roman Romulo grilled the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, May 16, over its failure to comply on time with a law that mandates the agency to spearhead the creation of special learning centers.

Fourteen months after the passage of Republic Act No. 11650, the DepEd – headed by Vice President Sara Duterte – has yet to come up with the finalized guidelines that would set in motion the establishment of an Inclusive Learning Resource Center of Learners with Disabilities (ILRC) in every town and city in the Philippines.

“Actually, [the implementing rules and regulations (IRR)] is already on the second draft,” said Erlinda Leva, supervising education program specialist for the Deped’s Bureau of Learning Division.

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Leva said that from 2021 to 2022, the DepEd “converted” 16 schools with Special Education (SPED) centers, but Romulo was dissatisfied to learn that they were doing that without the IRR and the roadmap that the law required.

He also did not hide his frustration upon learning that the DepEd did not consult the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the selection of the 16 schools.

“These 16 converted schools, do they have DOH personnel? Because we should be able to monitor everyone from childbirth, and assist learners with disabilities as soon as we can. Let’s say the disability raises the need to give the child a hearing aid, the national or local government should be able to provide that so they can later be part of regular schooling. Those who will be left in ILRC should be children who can’t be admitted to DepEd’s regular schools,” Romulo explained.

Romulo was referring to the Child Find System, a methodology that would locate and evaluate students with disabilities who are not receiving early and basic education services.

“You’re not following the law,” Romulo told the DepEd. “You should be doing your job. DepEd is the one in charge of the roadmap that would identify ILRC locations. I hope you take seriously what an ILRC is. It’s not a regular SPED school.”

Leva said the DepEd hopes to finish the IRR within the year.

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Roman directed the DepEd to give his committee a copy of the report on the meetings the agency has had with other government institutions, as well as a list of the 16 “converted” schools.

Passed in March 2022 by the Rodrigo Duterte administration, the inclusive education law seeks to adopt a whole-of-community approach in ensuring learners with disabilities’ access to quality education. – Rappler.com