Bacolod lawmaker seeks national program for autism care

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez is pushing for a government-supported program for autism care and treatment.

Benitez has filed House Bill 3379, or the National Autism Program bill, aimed at providing support to an estimated 1.2 million Filipinos, including nearly 350,000 children, living with autism.

He said the high cost of autism treatment is beyond the reach of many Filipino families.

In his explanatory note, Benitez stressed 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.”

He cited a United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report showing 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,” he said.

HB 3379 proposes an Autism Support Allowance Program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that would provide a PHP4,000 monthly stipend to families with persons on the spectrum (POS).

The measure also calls for free developmental assessments for all Filipino children up to age 5, free occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy in Department of Health hospitals, and free medicines for POS diagnosed with Level 3 autism.

Benitez said early intervention is hindered by the low number of developmental pediatricians, long wait times for assessments, and high consultation and therapy costs.

He noted that initial consultations cost PHP4,000 to PHP5,000 per session, and therapies recommended four to five times per week cost about PHP1,000 per session.

“Every child, regardless of their abilities or differences, should be treated with dignity, respect, and equal opportunities,” he 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.