Education Secretary Sonny Angara (3rd from left) and Special Olympics Pilipinas Chairperson and National President Akiko Thomson-Guevarra sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Philippine School for the Deaf in Pasay City on Tuesday (April 8, 2025). The MOU aims to advance inclusive special sports, making the country the first country in the Asia Pacific region to join the Special Olympics Global Coalition. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
The Philippines has become the first country in the Asia Pacific region to champion inclusive special sports in schools, following a landmark partnership between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Special Olympics Pilipinas.
Special Olympics is a global movement dedicated to promoting the inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities through the power of sports.
“We are making history today,” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Special Olympics Pilipinas, held at the Philippine School for the Deaf in Pasay City. “We proudly become the first country in the Asia Pacific to join the Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion.”
This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure quality and inclusive education for all Filipinos.
Angara emphasized that the program will introduce a new culture of “unified sports” — where students with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete together. He said the approach aims to reduce issues like bullying, aggression, and discrimination in schools.
“Here, all learners can train, play, and grow together,” Angara added. “In unified sports, everyone plays side by side in key sports — without discrimination, without judgment.”
An estimated 30,000 learners with intellectual disabilities stand to benefit from the initiative as it progresses.
Special Olympics Pilipinas Chairperson and National President Akiko Thomson-Guevarra welcomed the partnership and praised DepEd for prioritizing inclusive education.
“It’s always been our dream to expand Special Olympics programs nationwide. With this MOU, we now have the green light to make that dream a reality,” she said. “The task ahead is both exciting and challenging.”
Under the agreement, Special Olympics Pilipinas will train around 2,000 DepEd teachers and staff to support inclusive sports, organize unified sports events in pilot public schools, and engage at least 50,000 students — with and without intellectual disabilities — across the country.
Thomson-Guevarra expressed optimism about the impact of the program. “I am confident and hopeful that we will see tangible benefits for all our youth,” she said. “Studies show that the impact of unified sports is mutual — both groups of learners gain valuable experiences.”
She also encouraged participating school division offices to share best practices from previous unified sports implementations, which have already been piloted in select schools in Pasay, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Sta. Rosa, and Biñan in Laguna.
