ABS-CBN broadcaster Karen Davila slammed a Plantation Bay resort shareholder who responded negatively to a review by a parent of a child with autism.
“Shame on you Manny Gonzales of Plantation Bay for trying to school a parent of a child with autism on what the symptoms are. You are a disgrace to the tourism industry. Your words & heartlessness do not belong in the world today that seeks to include all persons with needs,” Davila said.
The journalist also has a son with autism.
A parent named Mai P wrote a Trip Advisor review of Plantation Bay Mactan entitled, “Not an ideal place for a child with special needs.” She said it would have been a perfect getaway for child Fin, who has special needs.
Mai P explains that whenever Fin is happy, he screams with excitement. She said everything was okay until lifeguards at the resort approached them and told them that squealing is not allowed. She then asked her child to stop and even covered his mouth every time he squeals.
She then realized that something was not right and decided to go back to their room as they were not allowed to “squeal and be merry the special way.”
“It’s a discriminating experience. We often get this a lot. When normal people are ignorant of people with special needs, give us stare of please control your child,” Mai P said.
Karen Davila to Plantation Bay resort shareholder: ‘Shame on you’
“My Fin is a happy child. He has autism. He is special. Very special! I will never consider staying here again,” she added.
Instead of apologizing, Menny Gonzalez, a resident shareholder of Plantation Bay Mactan, said, “For your information, uncontrolled shouting is not a symptom of autism.”
Gonzalez went on to say that “autistic children” were typically “silent, non-verbal, and overwhelmed” and withdrawn when faced with strangers.
“Google ‘Autism’ and verify this for yourself,” Gonzalez added. “Therefore this parent is most likely deliberately lying, or has been given an incorrect diagnosis of autism, when what the child more likely has is a lack of discipline due to simple parental neglect.”