President Ferdinand Marcos on April 17, 1974 issued Proclamation No. 1255, entitled "Authorizing the Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc. to conduct a campaign for purposes of national raffle for the benefit of the pupils of St. Martin de Porres School from May 1 to August 31, 1974.
The Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission it owns and manages St. Martin de Porres School for mentally retarded and hearing impaired children, reads the Presidential Proclamation.
In the Proclamation, the President enjoined all citizens and residents of the Philippines, irrespective of nationality, race or creed, to assist generously in this humanitarian endeavor.
On June 26, 1974 President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1284. It extended the fund campaign of the Special Child Association of Cebu Inc. for purposes of a national raffle for the benefit of the pupils of St. Martin de Porres from September 1, 1974 up to December 31, 1974.
The Association believes that there was a need for additional time to raise funds to achieve its fund goal. It was Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor who was given order by President Marcos to extend the fund campaign. The Assistant Executive Secretary at that time was Ronaldo B. Zamora, now a Member of the House of Representatives of San Juan City, Metro Manila.
The Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc. was founded in 1967. Prior to the issuance of Proclamation No. 1255, an earlier executive order, Proclamation No. 917 was issued on October 11, 1971, it was entitled "Authorizing the Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc. to conduct a fund campaign from November 15, 1971 to February 20, 1972, in the Visayas and Mindanao Area.
It was Executive Secretary Roberto Y. Reyes who was given orders by President Marcos to issue the proclamation. The presidential proclamation asked all residents of the Visayas and Mindanao region to support the drive to insure its success. The Acting Executive Secretary at that time was Flores Bayot.
St. Martin de Porres Special School was established in 1966, it was founded by Mrs. Concepcion Rodil Martires a Doctor of Philosophy. The school was originally a divison of the Cebu Psychological and Research Center which was owned by Dr. Martires. The school started with four pupils who had "special needs". In 1968, it was separated from the Cebu Psychological and Research Center and took on the name St. Martin de Porres Special School. In 1970, the land, building, equipment and material were donated by Dr. Martires to the school, through the "Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc." From 1970 to the present, the Officers and Members of the Board of the Special Child Association of Cebu, Inc. compose the policy and decision making body responsible for the overall administration of the school.
The School is funded by donations. Majority of the students comes from indigent families. The school celebrates the Feast of St. Martin de Porres its school patron every November 26. The school for years is an important landmark for the people of Labangon, aside from the back gate of the Cebu Institute of Technology. Its exact address is 722 Tres de Abril Street, Labangon, Cebu City.
St. Martin de Porres is Cebu's oldest and most renowned institution for children with special needs. The school was named after, Martin de Porres Velasquez, born on December 9, 1579 in Lima, Peru. St. Martin was a lay brother of the Dominican Order and was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony. His advocacy was work for the poor, the orphans and children's care and welfare. In support of his beatification among many others was his ability to communicate with animals.