HB5087 - AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL HEALTH SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE PROGRAM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

The 1987 Constitution enshrines the rights of all Filipinos to quality education and accessible healthcare, and directs the State to prioritize the needs of the underprivileged, the sick, and persons with disabilities. Republic Act No. 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and Republic Act No. 11650 or the Inclusive Education Act further affirm these rights. Yet, for many Filipinos with developmental and neurodivergent conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, intellectual and learning disabilities, and related developmental delays, these rights remain unfulfilled due to an acute shortage of trained professionals and services. Today, the numbers are stark: there are only 99 developmental pediatricians for more than 115 million Filipinos, with over half clustered in Metro Manila; only about 60 child psychiatrists serve the entire country; and roughly 6,000 occupational therapists and a few hundred speech-language pathologists are scattered unevenly across urban centers. In many provinces, particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAS), there are no resident specialists at all. Public schools, meanwhile, lack more than 7,600 special needs education teachers to serve the 323,000 identified learners with disabilities in the system. These figures reveal not only a numerical deficit, but also a gross inequality: children in poor or rural communities often never receive diagnosis or intervention, while those in cities or wealthy families can access world-class developmental services. The consequences are profound. Families in underserved areas must travel long distances or incur enormous costs to access care, often resulting in delayed or missed diagnoses, preventable secondary disabilities, and poor long-term outcomes. Teachers are left unsupported in inclusive classrooms, and children with disabilities are left behind. This is a systemic failure that robs children of their potential and society of their contributions. While Republic Act No. 11509 (Doktor Para sa Bayan Act) created a scholarship-and-service program for medical students, there is still no equivalent law for allied health and education professionals specializing in developmental and neurodivergence-related care. Without such a law, the workforce gaps that undermine inclusive education and health reforms will persist, and our obligations under the Constitution, RA 11650, and the Universal Health Care Act will remain unmet. This proposed measure, the Neurodevelopmental Health Scholarship and Service Act, seeks to build a sustainable national workforce of developmental health and education professionals. Through comprehensive scholarships covering tuition, stipends, allowances, insurance, and licensure support, we will enable deserving students to pursue careers in developmental psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy (pediatric specialization), speech-language pathology, behavioral therapy, special education, child and adolescent psychiatry, and other related fields. In return, scholars will render service in public schools, hospitals, LGUS, and community centers, especially in GIDAs, thereby directly addressing the inequitable distribution of services. This is not charity. It is an investment in human capital and national development. Every neurodivergent child who receives early intervention can gain skills, independence, and the chance to contribute productively to society. Every SPED teacher, therapist, or developmental doctor deployed in an underserved area fulfills not only a professional role but a constitutional mandate for equity and inclusion. In passing this Act, Congress will affirm that no Filipino child's potential should be lost simply because the right professionals are out of reach. It is our moral, constitutional, and developmental duty to act now. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. Continue reading here: https://docs.congress.hrep.online/legisdocs/basic_20/HB05087.pdf https://www.congress.gov.ph/house-members/view/?member=E005&name=AGARAO%2C+BENJAMIN+C.%2C+JR.

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