SENATOR Bam Aquino urged the government on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, to strengthen support for more than five million Filipino children with disabilities (CWDs), pointing to what he described as a “gaping hole” in the country’s education and support systems.
Speaking during a plenary session of the Senate in December, Aquino chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education backed Senator Raffy Tulfo’s presentation on what they both see as widespread neglect affecting millions of Filipino families with members who have disabilities.
Aquino said the issue will be prioritized when his committee reconvenes.
Despite the passage of the Inclusive Education Act, Aquino said many children with special needs continue to be underserved, underfunded, and largely invisible in government programs.
According to data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), of an estimated 5.1 million children with disabilities nationwide, only about eight percent roughly 391,000 are recorded as enrolled in schools.
“In the Edcom 2 report, it turns out that one out of every five students has a disability or has a concern that needs to be given proper attention,” Aquino said, referencing the commission’s findings.
The report also shows that about 61 percent of enrolled students with disabilities do not have a formal medical diagnosis, Aquino said.
He said that due to the high cost of clinical assessments, many teachers must rely on observing a child’s behavior and visible signs.
“So the percentage is high. In fact, we intend to look further into these numbers to find out if this is true or what range is being discussed,” Aquino said, indicating his committee’s plan to examine the figures more deeply.
Aquino also relayed that many parents have come to his office expressing frustration and despair over the lack of public facilities and the high fees charged by private therapy providers.
The data presented during the session showed a severe shortage of specialized teachers.
Only around 32 percent of students with disabilities have access to such educators, the report indicated, a problem worsened by limited funding.
Some schools reportedly have only between P333 and P488 per student per year to support children with special needs.
While infrastructure development has begun with 69 percent of Inclusive Learning Resource Centers completed, Aquino noted that many of these facilities are “empty shells” without the therapists or specialists needed to operate them.
“If we compare the funds, infrastructure, and the ability to help children with special needs, if we compare that to the expected help and budget, it’s really far. Some of them have no payment and are dependent on government facilities and it’s not enough,” Aquino said.
At the end of his remarks, Aquino called for urgent action and cooperation among various government branches.
“This should be raised and we will work, Mr. President, hand in hand. As soon as we can reconvene our committee, when it comes to children with special needs and students with special needs, we can help to find a solution for their families,” he said.
Separately, Senator Tulfo has been advocating an additional P40 million in funding for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Project Aruga, which provides financial aid to families of CWDs.
Aquino said any effective solution must be holistic, merging immediate financial support with systemic reforms in education for children with disabilities. (ABC)