A few months ago, I wrote an article applauding the law that would alleviate learners with disabilities. With this law, I hope that learners with disabilities would not endure the same fate as I did.
Recently, however, it has come to my attention that once again, there would be no budget allocation for special education (SpEd). This is concurrent with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) request for confidential funds that would, as the incumbent secretary once said, solve all the problems in the education system for six years.
If I may ask, how will the education system be solved if the disability sector would once again be ignored? After all, we, the disability rights advocates, are all tirelessly advocating for inclusion in basic education at least. Besides, the Constitution states that the State shall not only promote and protect the right of all citizens to quality education, but also take further steps in making sure that education would be accessible to all.
And so I appeal to not only the DepEd but also the legislators to allocate the budget for SpEd. Not only are we signatory to international agreements such as the Salamanca Statement and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, but the welfare of learners with disabilities is at stake here, especially now that we are transitioning to physical classes that would supposedly benefit learners with disabilities.
Ronald G. de Guzman Jr.,
PWD advocate
rgdeguzman1@up.edu.ph