ASP-Cebu holds “Autism Angel’s Walk”, Autism affects around 1.2M Filipinos

CEBU CITY – To commemorate “World Autism Awareness Day” on April 2 this year, Autism Society Philippines (ASP)-Cebu with its advocates and stakeholders held the annual Angels’ Walk of persons with autism (PWAs) at the SM Seaside, Mountain Wing, Main Lobby, South Road Properties, Cebu City, after a two-year hiatus.

The Angels’ Walk began in Manila in 2007, an advocacy of the Autism Society Philippines for acceptance, accommodation and appreciation of Filipinos with autism. 

More than 1,000 people joined the in-mall parade that brought Cebu’s autism community composed of persons with autism (PWAs) and their families, teachers, therapists and students from schools, learning and therapy centers, volunteers from NGOs and socio-civic organizations, and advocates from the public and private sector in a show of commitment towards an “Autism-OK Philippines”.

The Angels’ Walk is held in partnership with SM Cares, which is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls. It was launched in 2004 to organize sustainability and community support efforts, into a comprehensive program that tackles a wide range of initiatives. SM ensures that its CSR programs serve as catalysts for positive change in the community it serves.

 Autism prevalence in the world

Most recent study from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that autism affects 1 out of 44 in the United States and another studies in Asia, Europe, and North America identified individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at an average prevalence of between one to two percent which conservatively translates to around 1.2 million Filipinos with autism.

A Primer on Autism in The Philippines written by Mona Magno-Veluz, Erlinda Koe and Cecilia Sicam bared that autism prevalence worldwide is increasing at a higher rate of 300 percent since 1990, more prevalent than the combined total of AIDS, HIV, and cancer and more boys are affected than girls, with a ratio of 4:1.

The Autism Society Philippines (ASP) estimated that based on extrapolating data collected from its members, only 10 percent of Filipinos with autism are diagnosed and five percent receive appropriate intervention and noted that the Philippine government has never done a study of the incidence and distribution of ASD in the country.

Data also showed that as of 2023, there are approximately 90 developmental pediatricians, 900 speech therapists, and about 1,000 occupational therapists serving the needs of the approximately one million citizens on the autism spectrum in the Philippines. 

According to the ASP, this makes finding the right professional partners a challenge for families who need to consult, especially in the provincial areas. The distribution of support services is also localized in metropolitan areas.

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The Primer describes ASD as an atypical neural development of the brain that starts from early infancy and it is not a psychological condition.  It is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how a person communicates with and relates to, other people.

“ASD is also characterized by repetitive motor movements, inflexible adherence to routines, ritualized patterns of behavior, fixations, and hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input,” a pediatrician told this writer.

He added that people with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colors. Since the brain processes what is seen, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled differently, the person with ASD perceives and reacts to his environment in a manner unique to neurotypical people.

The Primer also said that ASD may occur with other conditions such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, among others.

ASD is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their autism will affect them in different ways.  Many people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying challenges that require a lifetime of specialist support, the Primer information reads.

How to detect or tell when a person has autism

According to doctors, the cause of autism is still unknown, but scientific research suggests it is a combination of genetic and environmental factors.  Autism is not detected at birth and as yet, no physical test will detect ASD.

A child can be diagnosed with autism before the age of 3 years, by observing their behavior.  Licensed developmental pediatricians, neurologists, and clinical psychologists may be consulted to assess whether a person has autism. 

The Primer explains that an individual with autism manifests the dyad of impairments; impairment in social interaction and communication, and repetitive and stereotypic behavior and   they do not share any physical characteristics, inasmuch as they do not share the same developmental or behavioral patterns.

The condition is also widely distributed across races and other demographic areas, making physical generalizations baseless.

Doctors also explained that autism is not a disease.  With the right intervention, many individuals with autism live rich, fulfilled lives. The Autism Society Philippines believes that autism is simply a variation of the human condition that requires acceptance, accommodation, and appreciation. (Photos: MBCNewman)