Pampanga opens children’s center for special needs in Lubao

The Provincial Government has opened a center for children with special needs in the town of Lubao, Pampanga, on 20 February 2026.

Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda led the inauguration of the Pampanga Children’s Center for Special Needs at the PWD Building inside the Lubao Municipal Complex.

Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Nanay Party-list Representative Florabel Yatco, DSWD Regional Director Venus Rebuldela, Lubao Mayor Esmie Pineda, Vice Mayor Jay Montemayor, Councilor Jayson Victorino, and officials from the province and various municipalities were on hand to witness the opening.

According to the Provincial Government of Pampanga, one of its priorities for 2025 to 2028 is boosting inclusive health services and strengthening community support systems.

The Children’s Center addresses the need for early identification and intervention for neurodivergent children, especially amid the six- to eight-month waiting period for specialist assessments.

The center will serve as a one-stop hub for evaluation, therapy, educational readiness, and family support for children with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, ADHD, and other developmental conditions, ensuring early guidance and a brighter future for every Kapampangan child.

In Pampanga, special needs statistics are primarily tracked through registered Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and enrollment in Special Education (SPED) programs.

Pampanga belongs to Region III (Central Luzon), which has the fourth-highest number of learners with exceptionalities in the Philippines — approximately 17,295, based on recent DepEd reports.

In the City of San Fernando, studies on SPED centers such as Pampanga High School highlight a concentrated population of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), supported by around 26 dedicated SPED teachers.

Real-time tracking of registered PWDs is managed by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).