Stigma still hounds autistic people

Stigma remains the biggest obstacle for autistic people, hampering their integration into mainstream society, the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) said yesterday.

Ranilo Sorongon, ASP executive director, said that many autistic people are not given the opportunity to go to school or be accepted in the workplace because of preconceived notions about their conditions.

"Many people think that those with autism cannot do so much. It’s wrong. Many people with this condition can live a near-normal life but they are not given the chance to do so," he said in a telephone interview.

Sorongon noted that while many autistic people have problems with mobility and speech, they could undergo corrective therapy.

"They can also read and write. But what is important is early detection and early intervention so that they could be given immediate medical attention," he added.

The ASP celebrates this week "Autism Consciousness Week" highlighting the theme of "Taas Noon, Angat Autismo." The group has lined up a series of activities to raise awareness about the condition.

In the absence of accurate statistics on autism in the Philippines, the ASP estimates that there are around 300,000 cases nationwide.

Sorongon said the Philippines is lagging behind other countries when it comes to the protection of the rights of autistic people because of lack of support from the government.

He claimed that the government does not allocate enough funds for the early diagnosis of children suspected to be autistic and for the schooling of those confirmed to have the malady.

"There are public schools that offer special education for people with disability. But these are not enough. Not all public hospitals have diagnostic and therapy services for those with autism," Sorongon added.

He complained that while the government had conducted a national registry for disabled people a few years ago, it was not fully promoted.

But Sorongon admits that bias against autistic people sometimes starts at home. Many parents, he said, are still in the "denial stage" about the condition of their autistic children.

"This is actually more common in rural areas. Awareness about this condition is higher in Metro Manila. So, we are hoping that the government could help us reach out to those in the provinces," he added.