AUTISM is a life-long, non-progressive neurological disorder typically appearing before the age of three years. The word "autism" means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction. Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others are among the traits of autistic children. (Autism Awareness Center Inc.)
Years ago, most of us are not so aware of this kind of disorder that affects mostly children because, correct me if I'm wrong, they were kept at home. Now, parents of children with autism has an association that supports them. I could feel the angst of parents in taking care of their children with this disorder. Bless you!
The law, Republic Act (RA) 7277, or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability (PWD), approved on April 30, 2007, provides protection and assistance to them. In assimilating these children to the public, the Department of Health or the Department Social Welfare and Development should provide more measures that would give them sort of identity so others would know who they are to avoid a misunderstanding. In Australia, a PWD is provided with a tag or necklace that indicates a person's disorder or disability.
I had this experience not so long ago that I was a bit startled when someone behind me screamed. When I turned around, I saw a child with an adult companion, who smiled and told me the child has autism. What if the child was alone? How would one know that the child has a disorder? The physical appearance of a child with autism is very normal.
This brings me to the case of Plantation Bay Resort last week when its guest, an autistic child, who checked in with his parents, was allegedly reprimanded (or, was he only advised?) by a staff for making noise. The issue was then blown out of proportions when the mother posted it on social media. I expect the parents to sharply react to my views. But me, whenever I have a complaint against an establishment, like my credit card billing statements, I directly addressed it to the manager. I only use my social media account when my complaint is ignored like what Cignal TV did to my several unanswered emails.
What perhaps got the goat of parents similarly situated as Mia Pages, the child's mother, was the response of Plantation Bay's Manny Gonzales to Mia's post even though he took it back and came up with an apology. The manager of another hotel described the response of Gonzales as condescending. Hotels and resorts have its own house rules that are made known to their guests. In Plantation Bay, making noise is said to be forbidden. But had the management been made aware of the child's disorder, I think that incident would not have happened.
Many have severely condemned the resort's management of discrimination upon learning of the post. The Department of Tourism also immediately came into the picture and conducted the investigation. Will DOT file a complaint against Plantation Bay? Pardon me, but I don't consider the act of the staff in asking the child to stop screaming as "discrimination" the way that others described it.
If the mother and child were prevented from checking in due to the child's disorder, that is pure and simple discrimination. Under RA 7277, public ridicule (Section 39) and vilification (Section 41) of PWDs are the punishable acts that carries with the maximum imprisonment of not more than six years and/or fine of not more than P200,000. Mrs. Pages should sue the resort's management to correct a wrong, if there was any.