Children with autism join the yearly Angels Walk for Autism at MOA, January 17. 2016. Photo by Bernard Testa, interAksyon.com.

Angels Walk, the yearly celebration for autism awareness spearheaded by the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) in partnership with SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, has gone international.

On its 16th year of pushing for awareness for people with autism and coinciding with the start of the Autism Awareness Week, advocates of People With Disability (PWD) rights from the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) region graced the event at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last Sunday, January 17, 2016.

Dr. AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General, ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, expressed gratitude to the 15,000 crowd who attended the event, ” I am indeed very much impressed, I am overwhelmed, Thank you for making this possible.”

At the Angels Walk for Autism: Asean delegates led by Dr. Mochtan, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General, (extreme left) and Aliie Ninomiya, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability APCD (4th from left) join Hans Sy, Chairman of the SM group of Companies, (3rd from right) and Senator Juan Edgardo Sonny Angara, (3rd from left). Ohters in photo are Mona Magnao-Veluz, National President, Autism Society of the Philippines and Dang Koe, Chairman Emeritus. Photo by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com.

Dr. Mochtan added, “What you have been doing here is the epitome of the ASEAN spirit celebrating our diversity. Before coming here I don’t know much about autism and the spectrum of the disorder associated with it. But the more I read about it and about the stories of people living with autism, the more I am inspired to work for a truly inclusive community where people living with autism or  other form of disorder are treated with understanding and compassion where people celebrates instead of quarrel over their differences.”

“They say that it takes a village to raise a child, may I say that it takes a community to raise persons with autism so they can leave with dignity.”

Victor Francesco Cham, receives his trophy for winning the Excellence in Visual Arts award at the yearly Angels Walk for Autism organized by the Autism Society of the Philippines at the MOA Arena, January 17, 2016. Photo by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com.

Going ASEAN
Mona Veluz, President of ASP said that for the first time, they have partnered with ASEAN organizations and groups to widen their advocacy not only in the Philippines but in the ASEAN region.

Representatives from some ASEAN organizations flew to Manila to grace the gathering.

Delegates from Lao People’s Republic show their medals for winning the Special Olympics at the Angels Walk for Autism in MOA, January 17, 2016. Photo by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com.

Veluz said that through the joint efforts of ASEAN organizations, they will be able to reach more people with autism and bring their cause towards a more integrated approach. Veluz said, “Just last year we held the first ASEAN friendship tournament  for people with autism and we have lined several more activities this year which is the reason we are excited for the coming years.”

Dang Koe, Chairman Emeritus of  ASP, said her group has progressed from promoting awareness to raising their cause to social integration for people with autism to make them productive members of society.

Koe said, “We are now on our 16th year of doing this Angels Walk. Our children have grown up and we are now going towards making them productive members in the community and society so that at least when we as parents leave them, we would be leaving them in a more caring society.”

She added the group has started to explore talks with government officials, other non-government organizations and private companies to push for initiatives that will open job and livelihood opportunities for people with autism. She said that while some companies have started to hire PWAs (person with autism), people with autism have yet to be accepted in the workforce.

“We want our children to be useful because they are and they can be with the right guidance, education and opportunities for them to do so. And that has been what we are gearing towards in our advocacy for inclusion,” Koe pointed out.

Aside from going international, another milestone during the event was the record breaking 15,000 attendees who showed up this year compared to last year’s 12,000 participants.

Delegates from Navota participate at the Angels Walk held at the MOA complex on January 17, 2016. Photo by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com.

Koe said their group has indeed come a long way from a few hundred attendees in 2000 when the walk for a cause began to the overwhelming thousands who walked this year. The participants marched around the MOA complex and were treated to a show afterwards featuring children with autism.

Since 2009, the yearly Angels Walk has always been conducted in partnership with SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls. Koe said they are extremely thankful to SM for their warm accommodation to their cause. Koe said, “We could not thank SM and SM Cares enough because through the years, they never get tired to be our partner and have accommodated us all these years including holding Angels Walk in other cities.”

Bien Mateo, SM’s Vice President for Operations and Head of the SM Disability Program, said SM is honored share the same advocacy with ASP and be the host to another family-centric affair. “We continue with our commitment to make sure there are no barriers in our operations staying true to our being a mall for all, with or without disability.”

Koe praised the SM Supermalls for being an autism-friendly establishment. “We can say that SM is the most autism-friendly center in all of the Philippines and we all feel very welcome in their establishments,” Koe declares.

Akiie Ninomiya, Executive Director, Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) told the crowd that there is still lack of laws, policies, programs and services to respond to the needs of people with autism in the ASEAN region.

Ninomiya assured that the ASEAN commitment will include tackling issues related to autism in collaboration with persons with autism and their family members through the ASEAN Autism Network, the ASEAN Secretariat, governments in the region, and other partners.

Sen. Sonny Angara (extreme left); Mona Magno-Veluz, National President, Autism Society of the Philippines; and Hans Sy, Chairman, SM group of companies, dance the ‘Autizumba’ during the Angels Walk program at the MOA Arena, January 17, 2016. Photo by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com.

In his speech, Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said that Republic Act 10699 signed by President Aquino last month states that athletes with disabilities are to be recognized by the Phlippines government.

Sen. Angara added that he has crafted a bill with the help of Rep. Emmeline Aglipay, which has been approved already by both Senate and Congress to deduct 12% of the VAT in the bill and expenditures of a PWD (person with disability) and PWA (person with autism), and to apply deductions in the income taxes of parents or guardians who have PWDs and PWAs as dependents.