Special children's education do not have dedicated funds under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) allocation of the Department of Education (DepEd).
This was bared Wednesday, Sept. 14 by DepEd Undersecretary Ernesto Gaviola during the agency's budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations.
Independent minority solon Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman asked DepEd during his interpellation of the agency's P709-billion budget just how much funds were alloted next year for the education of special children.
“We requested P560 million (for 2023) but in NEP it’s zero budget,” said Gaviola. The NEP is the precursor of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), or the budget measure that will emanate from the House of Representatives.
He said that as far as DepEd's programs to educate learners with disabilities (LWDs) are cornered, they received no funds and are thus "utilizing whatever is available funds for 2022”.
DepEd's enacted budget for 2022 is P631 billion.
“The special children are those who need special attention and special necessities compared to other children," Lagman said after hearing Gaviola's response.
"That is very important because I understand we have an increasing number of special children in the Philippines,” the Bicolano noted.