By Emmanuel Canto
Two decades ago, my friend, a batchmate in high school, based in Thailand, had two wonderful kids.
However, the sad thing about his story is that his children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
They are now grown-up in their late 20s, but they are still under their mother’s care and guidance, considering that they cannot function well without her care.
Moving forward, someday when their mother gets old, who will take good care of them?
This is the dilemma of every parent who has kids with ASD.
This is reality — no nonsense, just real talk.
It’s a good thing if there is a family member who will take the cudgel of the responsibility.
Good to note that deputy speaker and Bacolod Lone District Representative Albee Benitez filed House Bill (HB) 3379, or the National Autism Program Bill before the Lower House.
I would like to congratulate Congressman Benitez for taking into consideration the plight of thousands of children with autism spectrum issues.
Hats off to you, Congressman Albee, for initiating the first step, as the long journey begins with a single step, a common saying that originated from a Chinese proverb.
Praying that your efforts, Congressman Albee, will soon be a reality, considering that thousands of families here in Negros Island Region and the entire country are waiting for this.
This is a wake-up call for the national government, particularly to President Bongbong Marcos, to take this matter seriously.
Families who have a family member with autism issues badly need this.
I hope that all legislators will support the bill to fully become a law so that the government can provide autism care support to all concerned.
With the costs of autism treatment beyond the reach of ordinary Filipino families, the National Autism Program bill is intended to provide support to around 1.2 million Filipinos, including almost 350,000 children, living with autism.
In his explanatory note, Benitez lamented that “given the cost of the assessment and therapies, it is unlikely for low- and even medium-income families to regularly afford these life-changing therapies for their children.
The United Nations Children’s Fund revealed that poverty rates are 50 percent higher in households with children with disabilities.
“It is more than crucial that the government make available free or affordable services for the diagnosis and therapies of children on the spectrum,” the bill said.
To address the inaccessibility of autism treatment, HB 3379 establishes an Autism Support Allowance Program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development that will provide a regular stipend amounting to P4,000 to families with persons on the spectrum (POS).
The measure would also provide other services, such as free developmental assessment for all Filipino children until the age of five; free occupational, speech and behavioral therapy in Department of Health hospitals; and free medicine for POS diagnosed with Level 3 autism.
Benitez said the hurdles to the provision of early intervention for children with ASD include the low number of developmental pediatricians in the country that results in a long wait for a proper assessment, as well as the high cost not only for consultation but also for prescribed therapy.
The lawmaker pointed out that initial consultations cost around P4,000 to P5,000 a session, and “when a diagnosis is confirmed, recommendations for appropriate therapies four to five times per week are made, which would cost around P1,000 per session.
“Every child, regardless of their abilities or differences, should be treated with dignity, respect and equal opportunities,” Benitez said.
“It is incumbent upon the government to provide necessary support for persons on the spectrum to afford them better prospects of a future where they reach their full potential, and become self-reliant and functional members of society,” he added./WDJ