ANGELS WALK FOR AUTISM IN CEBU AT SM SEASIDE, APRIL 26, SUNDAY: ASSERTING THE INCLUSION OF PWAs in the AFFAIRS OF SOCIETY

The autism community in Cebu gathers for its annual Angels Walk for Autism on Sunday (April 26, 2026) at SM Seaside, South Road Properties, Cebu City. The activity is simultaneous with other Angels Walks in Metro Manila (Mall of Asia Arena), and other major cities in the Philippines.

This annual event, spearheaded here by Autism Society Philippines (ASP) - Cebu Chapter, aims to inspire acceptance, accommodation and appreciation of persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The in-mall parade brings together persons with autism (PWAs) along with their families, teachers, therapists and students from schools, learning and therapy centers, volunteers from NGOs and socio-civic organizations, and advocates from the public and private sector in a show of commitment towards an “Autism-OK Philippines."

Beyond being a powerful platform to show the accomplishments of persons on the autism spectrum, the Angels Walk is a call to action for public awareness, more private sector involvement, and the inclusion of the autism agenda in government social development initiatives.

Autism Society Philippines (ASP) is a national, non-profit organization that works towards an environment that empowers persons in the autism spectrum to become the best of their potential -- self-reliant, independent, productive and socially accepted members of Philippine society. From a core of 11 mothers in 1989, it has grown to 16,000 members spread across 106 chapters around the country today, aiming to establish institutional mechanisms to support neuro-diverse persons and their families.

The society is the prime mover of autism advocacy in the Philippines - a proponent of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which articulates basic principles of equality. It persuades leaders in the government and private sectors to include persons within the autism spectrum whenever they engineer laws, policies, and procedures.

Philippine society has made great strides toward protecting the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) which includes those on the autism spectrum. They are protected by laws such as the Magna Carta of Persons with Disabilities, the Equal Opportunity Employment Act, the Anti-Bullying Act, the Universal Healthcare Law, and the Inclusive Education Law. However, a close look should further be made in considering the needs of persons with autism.

Among the fundamental needs of persons with autism that the public and private sectors can help support, empower, and implement are: mandatory childhood developmental assessment, comprehensive needs assessment, inclusive education, public servants with special skills, community-based rehabilitation, comprehensive sensitivity training for schools and workplaces, and creative mechanisms for funding interventions for PWAs.

A leading social development campaign spearheaded by ASP is Autism Works. This program creates genuine, sustainable economic empowerment opportunities in compassionate workplaces nationwide. It empowers PWAs and their families towards success at work and guides the enterprise toward a sustainable process of assimilating persons with autism into the workforce. Team leaders and members of companies and institutions that employ PWAs are given the necessary sensitivity training to guide them through the employee’s tenure.

In Cebu, ASP has conducted sensitivity training for companies in the hospitality and service industries, increasing the understanding of autism especially by the frontliners of these enterprises who may have the opportunity of PWAs as clients.

According to the ASP, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as “an atypical neural development of the brain that starts from early infancy. It is NOT a psychological condition nor is it a disease.”

“ASD is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how a person communicates with and relates to, other people. It is also characterized by repetitive motor movements, inflexible adherence to routines, ritualized patterns of behavior, fixations, and hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input. People with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colors. Since the brain processes what is seen, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled differently, the person with ASD perceives and reacts to his environment in a manner unique to neuro-typical people.

ASD may occur with other conditions such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, among others.

ASD is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their autism will affect them in different ways. Many people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives. Others may have accompanying challenges that require a lifetime of specialist support.”

ASP is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as a Social Welfare and Development Agency. It is an active member of the different subcommittees of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

This year’s Angels Walk participants may register for FREE at https://forms.gle/Jjjg4TXAGQbjsprD8.

Assembly of all participants is at the SM Seaside Mountain Wing Main Lobby at 9AM, followed by the Angels Walk through the mall from 10AM - 11AM, and the Program Proper at the Cube Wing from 11AM - 12NN. The program will showcase the talents of individuals on the autism spectrum.

The Angels Walk is held in partnership with SM Cares, which is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls. It was launched in 2004 to organize sustainability and community support efforts, into a comprehensive program that tackles a wide range of initiatives. SM ensures that its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs serve as catalysts for positive change in the community it serves.