Parents, special education teachers, and developmental clinicians formed the majority of more than 80 attendees at AAAP’s second annual symposium held on October 5, 2013, in the Justitia Room of the Ateneo Law School in Rockwell Center, Makati, Manila. The event was honored as well by several young adults with autism. The presentations paid special attention to transitional and employment concerns that arise as children with autism grow up to adulthood and in finding ways to make government act on and champion autism management.
The symposium presentation topics and speakers were:
The New Diagnostic Criteria in DSM 5 for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Dr. Lirio Sobrevinas- Covey, Ph.D. Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York; Research Scientist, New York State Psychiatric Institute; Mother of a 35 year old male with autism.
Independent Living Skills Training
Maria Rosario “Bunny” Gonzalez Joaquin, M.A.Ed. Founder and President, Shine Special Education Center, Inc. Pasig City, Philippines ; Secretary of the Board of the Philippine Association for Behavior Analysis; Special Education Consultant at A Child’s D.R.E.A.M. Foundation.
Employment Opportunities
Ms. Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi, M.A. Executive Director, Unilab Foundation; Co-Founder, Except One, Pte. Ltd (Singapore-based management consultancy); first Vice President for Global -Diversity, Unilever; 2005 Asian Women of Achievement in the UK; Senior Advisor to Asia Society’s Women Leaders of New Asia
Engaging Government for Autism Management
Ms. Celia “Cel” Capadocia-Yangco, M.A. Former Undersecretary for Operations and Capacity Building Group, DSWD; Project Director, Philippine Early Childhood Development Project, Departments of SWD, Health, and Education; Executive Director, Autism Hearts Foundation-Philippines.
Transitioning to Adulthood: Sexuality and Other Issues
Dr. Lourdes “Honey” Arellano-Carandang, Ph.D. President, MLAC Institute for Children and Families; Past Professor and Chair, Ateneo de Manila University Psychology Department; named Philippines National Social Scientist; Outstanding Psychologist; pioneered Family Therapy and Play Therapy in the Philippines.
Diet and Nutrition
Dr. Ma. Luisa Campos-Cagingin, M.D., M.H.A., Founder and Director of Sta. Belina Learning Center; President Dasmarinas Chapter, Autism Society of the Philippines; Head – the Nutrition and Dietetics Department , Makati Medical Center. Mother of a 26 year old male with autism.
Corporate contributors to the event were the Ateneo Law School which provided the venue – the Justitia Room at the Ateneo Law School building located in Rockwell Center in Makati, Manila, and Jollibee Corporation, which provided lunch and snacks during the day.
The Association for Adults with Autism, Philippines is a non-profit association, established by parents of individuals within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and professionals dedicated to the welfare of those with this developmental disorder. 
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