The 2010 National Conference on Developmental Disabilities opens Thursday with the theme “Going Beyond Barriers: Bringing People Together.” It is being hosted and organized by the Department of Education through the Special Education Division-Bureau of Elementary Education, in coordination with the Foundation for Advanced Professional Development, Inc., and the Portage Association of the Philippines for  Early Intervention, Inc.

The conference will gather special education and regular teachers, administrators of public and private schools, supervisors in special education, chiefs and assistant chiefs of elementary and secondary divisions, schools division superintendents, and assistant schools division superintendents.

Developmental disabilities are “a diverse group of severe chronic conditions that are due to mental and/or physical impairments.” These can manifest anytime during the development of a child up to 22 years of age and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime. In the Philippines, educators have noted the increasing number of special education centers, which implies the growing number of Filipino children with developmental disabilities.

It is hoped that the conference will promote greater cooperation among teachers, parents, administrators, supervisors, and professionals on programs and services for children with special needs, to enable  them to transcend their disabilities and grow up to become participating and contributing members of our society in their own unique ways.

We congratulate the participants and organizers of the 2010 National Conference on Developmental Disabilities and wish them success in all their endeavors.