History of Special Education in Philippines
1902
Fred Atkinson
( General Superintendent of Education)
He proposed that deaf and blind be
enrolled in schools because of the aim to
educate and help Filipino children with
disabilities.
1926
Pedro Santos
The first and only Filipino deaf whose
expenses were paid by the government to
the United States and went back to the
Philippines he established the Philippine
Association for the Deaf (PAD).
1945
■ National Orthopedic Hospital School
was established for crippled people or
unable to move and walk.
1907
David Barrows
(Director of Public Education)
He worked for the establishment of
Insular School for the Deaf and Blind in
Manila.
1927
■ Welfareville Children’s Village was
established in Mandaluyong, a school for
Mental Retardation.
1949
■ Quezon City Science High School for
gifted students was inaugurated.
■ The Philippine Foundation for the
Rehabilitation of the Disabled was
organized and started to help people with
disabilities.
 1950
■ The PAD opened a school for the children
with hearing impairment. 1953
■ The Elsie Gaches Village was
established for the abandoned, orphans, and
youth with physical and mental handicaps
in Alabang Muntinlupa.
1954
■ RA 1179 an act to provide for the
promotion of Vocational Rehabilitation
of the Blind and Other Handicapped and
their return to Civil Employment
1955
■ First week of August has been
declared as Sight Saving Week signed ■ First Parent Teacher Work Conference
by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay. in Special Education was held at the School
for the Deaf and Blind (SDB).

2ol for the Deaf and Blind (SDB)

1956
■ First Summer Institute on teaching the
deaf was held at the SDB in Pasay City.
1957
■ The Bureau of Public Schools (BPS) of
the Department of Education and
Culture (DEC) created the Special
Education Section of the Special Subjects
and Services Division.

1960
■ In some private colleges and Universities
started to offer Special Education courses in
their graduating school curriculum.
1962
The Manila Youth and Reception Center
(MYRC) were opened.
 1963
■ Training of DEC Teachers Scholar was
started at Philippine Normal University
(PNU) under RA 3562: An Act to 1968
promote the Education of the Blind in the
Philippines. ■ RA 5250: An act establishing a ten-
year training program for teachers of
special and exceptional children in the
Philippines

■ The Program was held in Philippine

Normal College

1969
■ Classes for socially maladjusted children
were organized and held at the MYRC.

1970
■ Teacher for children with behaviour
problem their training was started at the
UP.

■ School for the Deaf and Blind was

reorganized in two separate residential
schools:
1973  School for the Deaf (PSD) that
stayed in original building.
■ The Tahanan Special School for  Philippine National School
socially maladjusted children and youth for the Blind (PNSB) was
was established build next to PSD.
■ First Asian Conference on Mental
Retardation was held in Manila under of
UNESCO.
 1975
■ DEC was reorganized into the
Ministry of Education and Culture.

■ Special Subjects and Services

Division was abolished.
1978
■ PD 603: The Child and Youth ■ National Commission on Disabled
Welfare Code were enacted. was created and later renamed as the
National Council for the Welfare of
■ Silahis Concept of Special Disabled Persons under Presidential
Education was implemented by Decree 1509.
Division of Manila City Schools in
public elementary schools. ■ PAD started its mainstreaming
program.

■ UP opened a Special Education

Teacher Training Program for
undergraduate students.
1982
■ Batas Pambansa Bilang 232: An act
providing for the establishment and
maintenance of an integrated system of
1983
education.
■ The Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 was
enacted the Accessibility Law.

1987
■ Autism Society of the Philippines was
organized to help the parents for their
children with autism and person who have
diagnosed with autism.
1989
■ Meanwhile the Autistic Children and
Adults of the Philippines (ACAP) a
foundation was formally organize and
reorganized.
 1990
■ an oral school for children with hearing
impairment was established as the
Philippine Institute for the Deaf. 1992
■ Philippine Normal University their
Summer Training for Teachers of the
visually impaired was started.

1993
■ DECS issued Order No. 14 that
directed Regional officers to organized
the Regional Special Education Council
(RSEC).
1994
■ EO 385 – “Creating a task Force to
address the concerns of the persons ■ Proclamation No. 452 stated that
with disabilities” was enacted. every second week of October in every
year declared as “National Mental
■ Proclamation 125 – “Proclaiming
the nationwide observance in the
Health Week” which signed by
Philippine of the Asian and Pacific former President Fidel V. Ramos.
Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-
2002” was inaugurated.

1995
■ PNU held the Summer Training of 1996
Teachers for children with hearing
impairment. ■ Proclamation No. 711 - every third
week of January declared as “Autism
Consciousness Week” which signed
by former President Fidel V. Ramos.
 1997
■ Marikina City held the 1st Teacher
Training Program for the Integration
of Autistic.
■ The 1st Philippine Wheelathon a race
for wheelchair users was the main event
on the National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week.
1998
■ Manila opened a Center for
Excellence (CENTEX) , school for
poor but bright children.
■ DECS Order No. 5 “Reclassification
of Regular Teacher and Principal Items
to SPED Teacher and Special Schools
Principal Item” was issued.

■ Philippine Sports Complex held the

Palarong Pinoy May K.

1995
■ DECS Order No. 104 “Exemption of
the Physically Handicapped from Taking
the NEAT and NSAT”.

■ DECS Order No. 108 “Strengthening

of Special Education Programs for the
Gifted in the Public School System”.

■ DECS Order No. 33 “Implementation

of administrative Order No. 101 directing
the Department of Public Works and
Highways, the DECS and CHED provide
architectural facilities or structural feature
for disabled persons in all state college,
universities and other buildings.