overwhelmed by the sheer economic and social costs of this burden. The State’s
failure to integrate these individuals into mainstream Philippine society leaves them
further marginalized and disempowered and greatly inhibits them from escaping the
vicious cycle of poverty.
Undeniably, addressing the needs of these individuals in our country would
require a comprehensive legislative framework and integrated operational plan for
developmental disabilities.
Currently, there is no national data tracking system that caters to the state of
developmental disabilities in the country. In order to improve our current knowledge
and understanding of developmental disabilities, a national registry is needed to
conduct thorough and complete epidemiologic sur\?eys of the issue, as well as to plan
for, and provide services to, children with developmental disabilities and their
families.
Furthermore, there is a shortage of trained and highly skilled teachers and
health providers to handle and cater to the special needs of children and adults with
developmental disabilities. These considerations reflect the urgent need to conduct a
comprehensive training program for health providers all over the country in order to
help these persons cope with their condition and participate as productive members
of society.
This bill seeks the creation of a national roadmap for addressing
developmental disabilities through the establishment of the Developmental
Disability Council of the Philippines (DDCP) and aims to increase public awareness
of developmental disabilities and treat it as a national health issue. To alleviate the
plight of thousands of families struggling with the costs for its detection and
treatment, this bill provides for mandatory PhilHealth coverage for persons with
developmental disabilities, in addition to the benefits provided for PWDs under
existing laws.
In view of the foregoing, early approvral of this measure is requested.
LEILA M. DE'LIMA