Tulfo alarmed over rise of autism cases in PH; pushes for swift passage of bill addressing the problem

Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo expressed alarm over the continued spike in the number of people diagnosed with autism in the country, which include even those without family history of autism.

Tulfo, who made the statement in time for the observance of the National Autism Awareness Month this April, is also pushing for Congress' swift passage of his Senate Bill (SB) No. 752 seeking to address and increase support for persons with autism. He filed said measure as early as July 2022.

"The time is now upang seryosohin ng pamahalaan ang problema sa autism at kumilos na talaga para hanapan ito ng solusyon. Komprehensibong research and development ang kelangan para malaman ang mga susunod na hakbang," he said.

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) shows that the number of Filipinos with autism has ballooned from 500,000 in 2008 to one million in 2018. It has doubled in just 10 years.

Notably, several studies abroad have concluded that mothers who take paracetamol while pregnant have a higher chance of bearing a child with autism.

However, Tulfo noted that while experts in different parts of the world continue to conduct studies and research about autism, they are yet to find a scientific answer as to what causes autism in a baby.

Should SB. No. 752 be passed into law, Tulfo noted that DOH, in collaboration with other government agencies, is tasked with conducting evidence-based research and epidemiological surveys to determine the cause, find medicine, and provide proper help and government subsidies to the families of persons with autism.

Under the proposed measure, the DOH and Department of Education (DepEd) are likewise mandated to create a program for early screening and detection for children with developmental delays that can be attributed to autism. This is also a way to ensure that the central PWD registry is updated.

SB No. 752, or the "Autism Cooperation, Accountability, Research, Education and Support (CARES) Act of 2022" also seeks to protect persons with autism from discrimination and provide them with equal employment opportunities, as well as comfortable accommodation in accessing all types of transportation.

Tulfo, naalarma sa pagtaas ng kaso ng autism sa bansa

Sa paggunita natin ngayong buwan ng National Autism Awareness Month, nagpahayag ng pagkabahala si Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo sa pagtaas ng bilang ng mga taong may autism sa bansa, kabilang na dito ang ilan na wala namang family history ng autism.

Tinutulak din ni Tulfo na mapabilis ang pagsasabatas ng kanyang proposed Senate Bill (SB) No. 752 na naglalayong hanapan ng solusyon at pigilan ang paglaganap ng problema ng autism sa ating bansa.

"The time is now upang seryosohin ng pamahalaan ang problema sa autism at kumilos na talaga para hanapan ito ng solusyon. Komprehensibong research and development ang kelangan para malaman ang mga susunod na hakbang," saad niya.

Ayon sa datos ng Department of Health (DOH), ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong may autism ay lumobo mula 500,000 noong 2008 hanggang isang milyon noong 2018. Dumoble ito sa loob lamang ng sampung taon.

May mga pag-aaral sa ibang bansa na nagsasabing ang mga nanay na umiinom ng paracetamol habang buntis ay nagkakaroon ng mas mataas na posibilidad na maging autistic ang kanilang pinagbubuntis.

Bagama't patuloy pa rin ang pag-aaral na ginagawa ng mga dalubhasa sa iba't-ibang parte ng mundo tungkol dito, wala pa ring naibibigay na tiyak na linaw ang siyensya kung ano nga ba ang pinag-uugatan ng autism sa isang sanggol.

Kapag naging ganap ng batas, ang SB No. 752 ang DOH, sa pakikipagtulungan sa iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno, ay inaatasang magsagawa ng evidence-based research at epidemiological survey para matukoy ang sanhi, mahanapan ng gamot, at mabigyan ng karampatang tulong at government subsidies ang pamilya ng mga may autism. Ang pondong gagamitin para dito ay dapat kasama sa annual general appropriations ng DOH.

Nakapaloob din sa panukalang batas na ito na ang DOH at DepEd ay dapat magkaroon ng programa para sa early screening and detection para sa mga batang may developmental delays na maiuugnay sa autism. Ito'y para na rin matiyak na updated ang central PWD registry.

Nilalayon din ng SB No. 752 na mabigyan ng proteksyon laban sa diskriminasyon ang mga taong may autism, mabigyan sila ng equal opportunities sa pagkakaroon ng trabaho, at magkaroon sila ng komportableng akomodasyon sa pag-access ng lahat ng uri ng transportasyon.