The Department of Education (DepEd) expressed its disappointment on Saturday after the House of Representatives failed to ratify the Special Education Act of 2010 due to lack of quorum during its last day of session last Friday.

Education Secretary Mona Valisno said the passage of the bill could have been the 14th Congress’ parting gift and lasting legacy to the Filipino people. “Since this will finally give due attention to the education of 5.49 million children with special needs (CSN) and people with disability (PWD) in our country,” she said.

Valisno expressed her gratitude to the Senate for including this bill in its priority legislative agenda. However, she was dismayed that the House of Representatives was not able to concur in with the Senate before the session was adjourned. “It was such a disappointment because almost six million CSNs in the Philippines or 13 percent of the total children population can benefit from passage of this bill,” she said.

Based on reports from DepEd, an estimated 4.2 million were PWDs while 1.27 million were gifted children. Currently, only two percent of Filipino children with special needs are able to get support from the government, unlike in other countries where they get 100 percent state support.

Earlier, Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Miguel Zibiri authored and sponsored the Senate measure, SB 2020, while Reps. Arthur Pingoy Jr. and Monica Louise Prieto Teodoro authored and sponsored the House version, HB 6740. Both houses have already passed their respective versions, but the House has to concur with the Senate version for the bill to become law.