Ipasa ang panukalang 4K buwanang stipend para sa Persons with Autism, paghihikayat ng mambabatas

HINIKAYAT ni Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo Benitez ang Kamara na ipasa ang panukalang P4,000 buwanang stipend para sa Persons with Autism.
Kasunod ng komemorasyon ng Autism Consciousness Week, nanawagan si Benitez sa kanyang kasamahang mambabatas na ipasa ang panukalang magbibigay tulong sa pamilya na may kasamang autism.

“Assessment and treatment for autism is, sadly, still out of reach for many families in the Philippines. I believe that the National Autism Program bill is a necessary intervention to ensure that persons with autism (POS) are able to access timely assessment and treatment,” ani Benitez.

Sa isinusulong niyang House Bill No. 3379 magbubuo ng isang Autism Support Allowance Program sa ilalim ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na maglalaan ng regular stipend na nagkakahalaga ng P4,000 sa pamilya na may POS.

“This amount could go a long way in providing support to families, as initial consultations alone already cost around Php4,000.00 to Php5,000.00 a session. Then, for confirmed diagnoses for autism spectrum disorder, the recommended therapy of four to five times a week costs around P1,000 per session. Not many families have the capability to pay for such interventions,” pahayag ni Benitez.

Sinabi pa nito na layon pa ng panukala na maglaan ng suporta sa nasa 1.2 milyong pilipino, kabilang na ang halos 350,000 bata, na naninirahan sa may autism.

Maglalaan din ng iba pang serbisyo sa panukala, tulad ng libreng developmental assessment para sa lahat ng batang pinoy hanggang sa edad na limang taon, libreng occupational, speech, at behavioral therapy sa ospital ng Department of Health; at libreng gamot para sa POS diagnosed na may Level 3 Autism.

Importante aniya na maglaan ng suporta sa POS upang matulungan ang mga ito na maging mas produktibo.

“As experts say, autism isn’t a disease that needs to be cured—rather, it is a difference in neurological development. Being diagnosed with autism should not be a death sentence, but the sad reality is that because of the lack of support, POS who could otherwise be productive members of society are excluded from public activity,” saad nito.

Ang Autism Consciousness Week sa Pilipinas ay ginaganap sa ikatlong linggo ng Enero, dala ng Proclamation No. 711 (1996).
(Vina de Guzman)