Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children with Special Needs Act
Filed on August 20, 2025, and referred to the Committees on Health and Demography, Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, and Finance; it has been pending in committee since September 15, 2025.
The bill addresses systemic issues affecting children with special needs across the Philippines.
The bill responds to the urgent need for a unified care plan for children with special needs, given the high prevalence of conditions like autism.
Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children with Special Needs Act
The Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children with Special Needs Act aims to create a comprehensive national care plan for children with special needs, addressing gaps in healthcare, education, and social inclusion. It mandates collaboration among various government agencies to ensure the rights and welfare of these children are upheld.
Compared with current law:
Children with special needs face barriers in healthcare and education.
The bill aims to create a unified support system to improve access to healthcare, education, and social services.
Public awareness of special needs is limited, leading to stigma.
The bill mandates public awareness campaigns to combat discrimination and promote understanding.
Children with special needs often lack access to necessary therapies and support.
The bill ensures coverage for therapies and assistive devices under the National Health Insurance Program.
The main goal of the Act is to create a comprehensive national care and support plan for children with special needs, addressing gaps in healthcare, education, and social inclusion.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over 6 months with no recorded action since its referral on September 15, 2025.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
Senate offier of the recrtarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 25 AUG 20 P3:36 SENATE S. No. 1225 RECEIVED BY: Introduced by Senator Raffy T. Tulfo AN ACT INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL CARE AND SUPPORT PLAN FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PROVIDING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND WELFARE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE The proposed Philippine Care and Support Plan for Children with Special Needs Act seeks to address the systemic challenges faced by children with special needs (CWSNs) in the Philippines, including those with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other developmental disabilities. Despite existing laws like RA 7277 (Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities) and RA 11650 (Inclusive Education Act), significant gaps remain in healthcare access, education, and social inclusion. Many CWSNs lack affordable therapies, diagnostic services, and specialized education, while stigma and discrimination persist in communities and workplaces. This bill aims to create a comprehensive national care plan to unify and strengthen support systems for CWSNs, ensuring their rights and needs are fully met. The bill's primary objectives include establishing a holistic support system that integrates early intervention, education, and healthcare services. It mandates inter- agency collaboration among the DOH, DepEd, DSWD, and LGUs to streamline efforts and eliminate fragmentation in service delivery. Additionally, it introduces measures to combat discrimination through public awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement of anti-discrimination policies. Key provisions of the bill include a centralized registry of CWSNs under the DSWD to ensure targeted aid, expanded Special Education (SPED) programs with trained teachers and adapted curricula, and PhilHealth coverage for developmental screenings, therapies, and assistive devices.
The bill also penalizes schools and workplaces that deny equal opportunities to CWSNs and requires sensitivity training for public service providers, including transport personnel and law enforcement. The proposed legislation is grounded in both national and international frameworks, including RA 7277 (as amended by RA 10754), which guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which the Philippines ratified in 2008. By harmonizing these laws into a single, actionable plan, the bill ensures that CWSNs receive the support they need to thrive. The expected impact includes early intervention to reduce long- term costs for families and the government, greater social inclusion for CWSNs in education and employment, and economic empowerment for their families through subsidies and livelihood programs. The urgency of this bill cannot be overstated. With 1 in 100 Filipino children diagnosed with autism (DOH, 2023) and 70% of CWSNs lacking access to essential therapies, the need for a unified, nationwide care plan is clear. This legislation represents a moral and practical imperative to uplift CWSNs and their families, ensuring they can participate fully in society. Immediate passage of this bill will pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable Philippines, where no child with special needs is left behind. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. RAFFY T. TULFO
senate • Office of the retary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) 25 AUG 20 P3:36 SENATE S. No. 1225 RECEIVED BY: Introduced by Senator Raffy T. Tulfo AN ACT INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL CARE AND SUPPORT PLAN FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PROVIDING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND WELFARE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Care and
2 Support Plan for Children with Special Needs Act."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.- The State affirms its paramount role in protecting
4 and upholding the rights of all children with special needs. It is committed to fostering 5 their well-being and ensuring their full integration into mainstream society. To achieve 6 this, the State recognizes the imperative to legislate for the unique needs of these 7 children. It commits to institutionalize comprehensive policies and programs that will: a) Increase public awareness and understanding of special needs. b) Develop clear and consistent pathways for early detection and diagnosis. c) Provide access to quality education and meaningful employment opportunities, enabling children with special needs to live independently within their communities. d) Minimize and ultimately eradicate discrimination. e) Enable the private sector to offer vital services that complement government initiatives.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms are defined:
a. "Children" refers to individuals below eighteen (18) years of age, or
those over eighteen (18) years of age but are incapable of taking care of themselves or protecting themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition. b. "Special Needs" refers to a range of conditions primarily characterized by challenges in social skills, repetitive behaviors, and communication, alongside unique strengths, as defined in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. c. "Diagnosis" means the necessary assessments, including but not limited to neuro-psychological evaluations, genetic testing, MRIs, hearing tests, and psychometric tests, conducted to identify or rule out special needs and/or developmental disabilities. d. "Intervention" means any interceding action taken to improve the prognosis of special needs. This may include medical, pharmacologic, therapeutic, educational, and non-traditional habilitative care. e. "Epidemiology" refers to the scientific study and analysis of the distribution and determinants of health conditions, such as special needs, within defined populations.
Sec. 4. Treatment as Persons with Disability. - Consistent with Republic Act No.
7277, as amended, all children with special needs shall be recognized and treated as Persons with Disability. They shall therefore be fully entitled to all the rights, privileges, and benefits extended to persons with disabilities under Republic Act No. 10754 and other relevant laws.
Sec. 5. Inter-Agency Cooperation, Accountability, and Research.- The
25 Department of Health (DOH), in close coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCH), other academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations, is hereby mandated to establish and evaluate activities that will: a) Inform and educate the public on such disabilities, increasing awareness regarding their causes, early detection, management,
treatment, and developmental milestones. b) Promote research for the development and validation of reliable screening tools for these disabilities. c) Develop a comprehensive curriculum for continuing education to assist professionals in recognizing the need for and effectively using valid and reliable screening tools. d) Promote early screening of children and individuals identified as higher risk for such disabilities. e) Advance research to determine evidence-based practices for interventions, develop robust guidelines for these interventions, and widely disseminate related research and guidelines. f) Encourage public participation in decisions affecting individuals with such disabilities.
Sec. 6. Continuing Education and Training for Public Service Providers:- All
officers and staff providing public services, including but not limited to personnel from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development 17 (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), Persons with Disabilities Affairs Offices (PDAOs) at the Local Government Units (LGUS), and Public Safety Units (military, police, firemen, and other first responders), shall undergo mandatory continuing education. This training aims to empower service providers to be more responsive, sensitive, and compassionate in delivering services to children with special needs and their families.
Sec. 7. Epidemiological Surveillance Programs.- The Department of Health
(DOH), in coordination with various academic institutions and non-governmental organizations, is hereby mandated to conduct an annual epidemiological survey to determine the national prevalence of special needs. The data collected from these surveys shall be provided to government agencies and the private sector to facilitate the provision of necessary services to children with special needs and their families.
Sec. 8. Evidence-based Research. - The DOH, the Philippine Council for Health
2 Research and Development (PCHRD), and the National Institute of Health (NIH) are mandated, in coordination with local and international mental health institutions, to promote, create, develop, and adopt research and strategic plans. These efforts shall continually determine and establish evidence-based practices for interventions in the treatment, care, and societal integration of children with special needs.
Sec. 9. Early Detection and Intervention of Special Needs.- The DOH, in
8 coordination with the DepEd, is hereby mandated to establish a comprehensive 9 program for early screening and detection of special needs. This program shall provide 10 appropriate services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays associated with special needs and ensure the central PWD registry is accurately and timely updated.
Sec. 10. Protection Against Discrimination in Education.- The DepEd, CHED, and
TESDA shall formulate or update policies and protocols to ensure that all educational institutions are truly inclusive for learners with special needs. This inclusivity shall cover, but not be limited to, acceptance into academic or training programs, provision of instructional supports, and appropriate behavior management.
Sec. 11. Provision of Equal Opportunities for Employment.- The DOLE and the
Civil Service Commission (CSC) shall formulate policies and programs to ensure that 19 children with special needs are provided equal opportunities for gainful employment and apprenticeship in both the private and public sectors.
Sec. 12. Mandatory Insurance Coverage and Prohibition Against Discrimination
Thereof.- All children with special needs shall be covered by the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC). Necessary funds to ensure the enrollment of children with special needs, who may not be covered under existing categories, shall be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of PHIC, specifically earmarked from the proceeds of sin tax collections, as stipulated in Republic Act No. 10351. This coverage shall also include the cost of early screening 28 and detection programs as an available benefit to its members. Furthermore, the Department of Finance (DOF) shall issue guidelines to ensure that all insurance providers offer children with special needs access to life insurance instruments and include allied medical procedures (such as occupational and speech therapies) in the health insurance benefits of policyholders.
Sec. 13. Protection in Cases of Disaster and Emergencies.- The DILG, DSWD,
and the DND shall formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure that the military, public safety professionals, local government units, and first responders provide essential life-saving support to children with special needs, particularly those with behavioral and communication challenges, during disasters, calamities, and other emergencies.
Sec. 14. Access to Transportation.- The DOTr shall formulate the necessary
policies and protocols to ensure that children with special needs, especially those with behavioral and communication challenges, and their families are given reasonable accommodation in accessing all forms of transportation by service providers over land, sea, and air.
Sec. 15. Reasonable Accommodation in Legal Proceedings.- The DOJ shall
formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure that criminal justice agencies and professionals provide essential accommodations and protections to children with special needs with behavioral and communication challenges, whether they are the accused, victims, or witnesses in criminal cases.
Sec. 16. The Philippine Care and Support Plan. - The Philippine Council for Mental
18 Health (PCMH), a multi-sector body established by the Mental Health Act, in coordination with other government agencies and stakeholders, shall develop, regularly update, and meticulousy monitor the implementation of the Philippine Care and Support Plan (PCSP). This PCSP shall serve as a holistic medium-term plan embodying the provisions of this Act, designed to effectively respond to the needs of children with special needs and their families, providing essential guidance for stakeholders in both public and private sectors. The PCMH shall also coordinate the development and implementation of necessary policies and programs to fully operationalize all PCSPs and ensure the comprehensive needs of children with special needs are met.
Sec. 17. Appropriations.- The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be included and incorporated in the annual General Appropriations Act for the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development 30 (DSWD), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC). Furthermore, financial assistance shall be provided to 32 Local Government Units (LGUs) to support the implementation of programs and
1 services for children with special needs at the grassroots level, the funding for which shall also be incorporated in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 18. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid
or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
Sec. 19. Repealing Clause.- All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
presidential proclamations, letters of instruction, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 20. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
10 publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.