WHILE more Filipino learners with disabilities are enrolling in schools following the passage of Republic Act No. 11650, or the Inclusive Education Act, systemic gaps in healthcare infrastructure and human resources continue to hinder its full implementation.
During a House Committee on Basic Education and Culture hearing on Monday, lawmakers and education advocates warned that thousands of children with disabilities remain unable to access essential assessment, therapy, and rehabilitation services guaranteed by law.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) highlighted that despite policy mandates, the country faces a severe, persistent shortage of accredited medical facilities and specialized health professionals.
Expanded PhilHealth Coverage Meets Access Bottlenecks
The legislative hearing comes just a week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced during his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) that state insurer PhilHealth would expand its Z Benefit Package for children with developmental disabilities. Under the expanded initiative, covered therapy sessions will increase from 90 to 150.
“To improve our support for children with developmental disabilities, we will double the PhilHealth package for therapy consultations and increase the covered therapy sessions from 90 to 150,” President Marcos stated in his address.
While EDCOM 2 welcomed the higher financial subsidies to relieve overburdened families, the Commission stressed that expanded benefits mean little if patients cannot physically access accredited care.
According to EDCOM 2’s analysis of PhilHealth data as of June 30, 2026, only 14 distinct facilities nationwide are contracted to provide Z Benefit Packages for children with disabilities.
Of these, five are concentrated in the National Capital Region (NCR). Shockingly, seven administrative regions—including highly populated areas such as Central Visayas (Region 7), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), and Northern Mindanao (Region 10)—have no accredited facilities at all.
Unbundling Requirements and Workforce Deficits
Addressing these bottlenecks, Committee Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo revealed that Congress is coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH) to relax strict accreditation rules that previously required hospitals to provide full-service care before receiving PhilHealth approval.
The DOH has agreed to “unbundle” these service requirements so government hospitals can receive partial accreditation for specific services.
However, facility accreditation is only half the battle; medical personnel remain critically scarce.
More than half of the country’s PhilHealth-accredited rehabilitation medicine specialists practice in Metro Manila.
Nationwide, there are only 109 certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians and 155 clinics accredited by the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Essential allied healthcare workers—such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and psychologists—remain similarly scarce.
Guidance Needed for Schools on the Ground
EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee noted that while RA 11650 includes a five-year transition period and mandates a multi-year roadmap for capacity building and CHED scholarships, educators need immediate interim guidelines.
“Teachers on the ground are asking: if there are no local assessment tools, developmental pediatricians, or PhilHealth facilities available, what serves as the basis for student admission and accommodation right now?” Yee said.
Utilization figures highlight the urgency: in 2025, PhilHealth paid out just 841 claims nationwide across all four disability-related Z Benefit Packages.
Stakeholders agree that bridging the gap between legislative promises and actual services will require expanding accredited facilities, training specialists, and giving frontline educators actionable interim support.
