One particular drawing—a simple ship with a sail—has even made it to the back of hundreds of T–shirts and is being sold aggressively on campus. Proudly worn by members of the UP Special Education Council (UP SEC), the shirts represent the dreams of Allan Agualing, a 12-year-old orphan of Verlani Foundation which takes in children at risk.

Proceeds from the shirt might help him achieve his dreams to become a seaman someday.

Allan was among 143 children who participated in UP SEC’s award-winning project "CanART!" held at the UP Balay Kalinaw.

A half-day event that gives special children a chance to express themselves through drawing, painting and other creative media, CanART! is an annual event that based on the concept of art as a universal language.

"Special children have a difficult time communicating, but art can serve as a medium," says Chris Tanjutco, a special education major and member of the council.

"Even if they can’t hear or speak or understand, they are able to use art to communicate. Art is a bridge between them and the rest of the world."

The Department of Education estimated in 2005 that there are 4.22 million children with disabilities, comprising 10 percent of Filipinos 0 to 24 years old. Of these 4.22 million, only 79,118 are enrolled in special schools.

Children with disabilities include those who are learning, visually, or hearing impaired; mentally retarded, autistic, orthopedically handicapped, or chronically ill, as well as those with speech defects, behavioral problems, or cerebral palsy.

During its first run in September 2003, CANArt! drew a diverse group of special children, including those with down’s syndrome. On its second year, UP SEC catered to the hearing impaired, and on its third year, to children at risk, a group of orphans and street children from Verlani Foundation, Nayon ng Kabataan and the Papa John Center.

For making more people aware of the reality and needs of special children here, UP SEC was named one of the finalists of the 2005 Search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO).

Run by the TAYO Foundation with the National Youth Commission and Kilosko, and supported by CocaCola Foundation Philippines, Inc., the awards program aims to recognize, reward and encourage the efforts of young people in nation building.

UP SEC was established in July 2000,and has no more than 50 members, primarily because it requires all applicants to take up three units of Special Education classes. Still, UP SEC has made an impact, not only in the lives of special children, but to other students of the state university as well.

"Our main purpose is to promote awareness, make people know exactly what special education is," says Rofelle.

"Kasi pag sinabing SPED, most people think, ‘Ay yan yung mga abnoy’ (that means abnormal). And that’s what we want to avoid. We want others to realize that these children, if given the chance to maximize their potential, can become assets to society."

The group also wants to give the kids experiences they are not likely to get in school and in institutions. As of the last school year, there are 2,149 schools in the Philippines offering SPED programs. Most of these centers, however, provide inadequate training and materials.

The Department of Education admits that only 4.8 percent of children with special needs are provided with appropriate educational services. A number of UP SEC members who have undergone practicum in public schools with Special Education programs also confirm this.

CANArt! caters specifically to children from public schools. Participants range from four to 20 years old, although the older ones often display a developmental age of ten or less.

UP SEC conducts the workshops for free, providing materials and tapping members of the UP College of Fine arts to handle the art instruction. In 2002, UP SEC tapped the Link Center for the Deaf.

They invite student volunteers to expose them to the realities of caring for children with exceptionalities.

"We want our fellow students to experience what it’s like to handle special kids," says Ysabel Zuñiga, president of UP SEC.

UP SEC’s other projects include sign language seminars, Braille seminars, and a storytelling caravan for children with protracted illnesses.

Every summer, they mount plays at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) children’s wards, entertaining kids with stories adapted from local books through enthusiastic portrayals, full props and costume.

Kids react to their efforts in touching, often heartbreaking ways. After the last CanART! session, for instance, a number of kids refused to go home, and clung desperately to the volunteers.

"They get attached," says Chris.

As future teachers, CanArt! Volunteers feel that bringing out the potential of these marginalized children poses a much bigger challenge.

"People ask why we went into teaching special kids, and we say these kids don’t get the same chances as others and yet they have so much potential. We want to be able to bring out that potential, and go where we’re most needed."