MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang assured the deaf community of continuous support as the country started observance of Deaf Awareness Week yesterday.
“The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) joins the commemoration of the Deaf Awareness Week this year from Nov. 10 to Nov. 16, in line with Proclamation No. 829,” the government’s lead communication arm tweeted in Filipino.
“We continue to provide support to the deaf community in the country, especially in the field of education with the help of the Department of Education (DepEd),” it added.
The OPS said the commemoration was meant to recognize the important role of the deaf community in society and the country’s development.
Proclamation No. 829 signed by the late president Corazon Aquino in 1991, declared Nov. 10 to 16 of every year as Deaf Awareness Week.“The deaf, a vital segment of our society, can be transformed into a significant force in the efforts for national development,” the proclamation read.
“There is a need to focus public awareness on deafness, its prevention and rehabilitation,” it added.
The DepEd has a Special Education (SPED) program that seeks to provide quality education to “learners with various exceptionalities.” It caters to learners with disabilities, including those with hearing impairment.
Last September, news reports revealed that no budget was allocated for SPED next year. The DepEd said it had proposed a budget of P532 million for SPED for 2023 but it was not considered in the National Expenditure Program.
The budget department claimed that while the DepEd had proposed the retention of the outlay for SPED, it did not provide sufficient documents to support it.
Last month, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced that the chamber has realigned P77.5 billion to increase the allocations for various sectors. Of the realigned funds, P581 million was allocated for SPED.