By: PWA David Michael C. Lopez, ASP Laguna Chapter
Tuesday, August 23 I commuted alone from Los Baños to Quezon City for the special advanced screening of Temple Grandin, made possible with the joint efforts of HBO (Home Box Office) Asia and the Autism Society Philippines. The movie will be shown in HBO Asia and HBO Signature on September 2 at 10:00 pm.
I did not have a hard time riding a bus to the venue, Quality Life Discoveries (QLD), because traffic was not heavy. I arrived at exactly 10:00 a.m. But my routine was shattered for a while, as I missed my working routine at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish Office. Ms. Cathy Lopez, one of the staff from the Autism Resource Center based in Laguna, invited me to the special screening but we travelled separately with the same objective of reaching the said destination.
There was a short tour of the QLD facility and I observed rooms which comprised of the multi-sensory environment, sensory integration, gymnasium, pool, and early intervention. In those areas, individuals with autism, and other children with disability, take part in recreational activities such as swimming and physical education. I took photographs of various apparatus which are used by regular clients.
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| Quality Life Discoveries |
One of the rooms that provide state-of-the-art facilities is the Multi-Sensory Environment. It offers stimulation to all body senses which include sight, smell, hearing, and touch for which they get used into aromas, lights, music, and tangible objects. Aquatherapy is an example of an effective program where it offers exercise opportunities through an individualized or group aquatic fitness or therapy program.
After watching the film, there was open forum wherein guests headed by ASP Chair Emeritus Dang Koe, presented a primer on autism and how it affects the family members. The panel shared thoughts on the movie and explained further the significance of autism in our lives. I also posed for pictures before and after the movie was screened.
Click here to read my report about Temple Grandin.
I had lunch where I ate such meals as tilapia and pancit bihon complete with iced tea, prepared courtesy of persons with autism from Independent Living and Learning Center (ILLC) in Mandaluyong. Before I went home to Los Baños, I received tokens – a computer mouse and a towel courtesy of HBO Asia.
It was such a pleasure to meet the people and become part in this one-day special event because I mingled with some people for a while to share my own thoughts on autism.
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| PWAs: Gabby Atienza, JR Tan and David Michael Lopez |
I joined alongside Ms. Cathy Lopez and commuted by bus from Cubao, Quezon City to Barangay Turbina and from Barangay Real in Calamba to Crossing Los Baños, which is part of Barangay Batong Malake.
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About the author: David Michael Lopez, aka Kitt Lopez, is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the Lyceum Institute of Technology Makiling, Calamba City. He currently works in ASP Laguna’s Autism Resource Center. He regularly contributes articles to the chapter’s newsletter.
ASP Laguna Chapter President Rizalinda Cansanay contact number 0918-577-7940.
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