Ensure implementation of law on inclusive education for students with disabilities, Panelo tells gov't

Senatorial aspirant Salvador Panelo on Thursday lauded the government for passing a law that will be inclusive for learners with special needs but said its implementation must be strictly monitored and allotted with enough budget.

Panelo, whose late son, Salvador Carlo III, had a down syndrome, thanked President Duterte for signing Republic Act No. 11650, which seeks to institute a policy of inclusion and services for learners with disabilities in support of intrusive education, and establish inclusive learning resource centers in all schools across the country.

However, he said that the government "should not stop here," otherwise, the promising law "may join the list of noble laws like the Magna Carta for PWDs, which provide rights and reliefs only in name to most Filipinos."

"The passage of R.A. 11650 is a huge step in addressing the problem of inaccessibility to special education for CWDs (children with disabilities), especially those from poor families," Panelo, a former Palace spokesman, said.

"I am particularly happy that the law provides for the Child Find System because it is a proactive measure to ensure that no child with disability gets left behind," he added, noting that the Congress must "exercise its oversight functions and power of the purse to ensure that this noble law is executed as intended."

If elected senator, Panelo vowed to ensure that RA 11650 "is fully funded and implemented by the concerned government bodies."

He also vowed to legislate free therapy sessions for CWDs as well as bat for the establishment of government-funded care facilities or nursing homes that will accommodate of CWDs if their parents pass away or are incapable to take care of them.