5th Regional Conference on Autism: Hope Begins at Home

The Autism Society Philippines Cavite Chapters, in partnership with the Municipal Government of Carmona, Cavite, will be holding the 5th Regional Conference on Autism on 8-9 September 2012 at the San Lazaro Business and Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

With the theme “Living with Autism: HOPE@HOME,” the conference brings to South Luzon topics and discussions that shall aim to enrich parents, professionals, students, and government officials with knowledge and skills in helping people with autism become fully functional members of our community.

Experts have been invited to share their knowledge and exemplary achievements on the field of education and rehabilitation, particularly in the local community setting.

Family Support: Feeling at HOME

Dr. Marie Grace A. Gomez This topic will discuss how the family, as the basic unit of society, can help their child with autism in developing skills and abilities that will help him or her function as a contributing member of society. It will also tackle on what families of PWAs go through from the time of diagnosis, and what they can do to support their children.

About the Speaker

Dr. Grace Gomez

Dr. Marie Grace A. Gomez is a member of the faculty of the UP Special Education, and a member of the Subcommittee on Education of the National Council on Disability Affairs. She is a recipient of the UP Presidential Scholarship Award and Pi Gamma Mu Excellence in the Social Sciences Award. She has published articles in local and foreign journals, and is a Reviewer of The Journal of International Business and Management and The Journal for Research and Review. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science at UP Diliman in 1998, and has obtained her master’s degree in Education in 2003 and her PhD in Education in 2007. She is currently working on her second doctorate in Special Education and on her dissertation on creating a standardized test to measure teacher competence.

No Place like HOME: PWAs Moving On

Ms. Noemi T. Viado This topic will discuss home-centered care for adults in transition and how it can help them become responsible and functioning members of society. It will also highlight most of their capacities and skills, and ways on how they can get into the workforce.

About the Speaker

Ms. Ging Viado

Ms. Noemi T. Viado, or Tita Ging, is the Directress of GS Option House and Learning Center in Biñan, Laguna. She has dedicated her life in teaching persons with autism for the past 22 years and has been training parents, professionals, and caregivers on behavior modification, her area of expertise. As a result of these years of experiences, she has created a program for PWAs from early childhood to adulthood based on behavior modification principles and functional whole life skills approach. She is a mother to Gigi, 26, and has been a trustee of Autism Society Philippines from 2007 to 2011.

Siblings: COPE@HOME

Ms. Rosalyn Marie G. Sorongon Siblings have a powerful influence on the lives of their brother/sister with autism. This topic covers the importance of sibling relationships, the impact of autism on siblings of PWAs, coping mechanisms of siblings, and common concerns and needs of siblings.

About the Speaker

Ms. My Sorongon

Ms. Rosalyn Marie G. Sorongon, or Teacher My is a member of the Education Committee of Autism Society Philippines and is the Facilitator of the annual Autism Society Philippines SibsCamp, a series of activities for siblings of people with autism. She is a faculty in the Coaching Program for Medical Students at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology majoring in Human Service at Assumption College in 1993, and earned her master’s degree in Education major in Special Education at UP Diliman in 2008.

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For more information and inquiries on the 5th Regional Conference, please contact Ms. Chie Marquez of ASP Bacoor at 0917-540-6727. For LGUs, please contact Ms. Jan Peña at 0920-824-7636.

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