Sonia Roco apologizes, clarifies her statement
Senatoriable Mrs. Sonia Roco quickly responded to the reaction made by the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP), clarifying that her statement did not intend to hurt those who have worked hard to remove the social stigma associated with autism.
ASP President Ms. Dang Koe shares with us Mrs. Roco's letter:
------------------------------------
> April 6, 2007
>
> Dear Ms. Dang Uy Koe
>
> The comment was not intended to hurt you or those who
> have worked hard for 20 years to remove the social
> stigma associated with autism.
>
> Please allow me to clarify that the statement was
> uttered in a context not meant to deride or demean
> those who are suffering from autism and the people
> like you who care for them.
>
> It was simply a quick answer to the question,"what can
> you say about the Team Unity claiming they will make
> 12-0? My
> reply was " ano ba sila dreaming? para silang
> autistic, may sariling mundo."
>
> ".may sariling mundo" was what I added to my main
> statement. We are each living in our own individual
> world, while being members of a whole. That was the
> only reference I meant, insinuating that Team Unity is
> so engrossed in their own world that they shut out the
> realities of the community around them. The answer was
> directed
> to Team Unity and to Team Unity alone.
>
> I am sorry. if as you have expressed, the statement
> hurt you and the 400,000 families you represent.
>
> It might be of help to let you know that I had a
> sister who was a special child and at that time, she
> was called "retarded" and all those similarly situated
> were branded retardates. In Raul's family, his
> youngest sister was labelled by psychologists as
> "mongoloid", now termed Down's syndrome or Trisomie.
> Yes, I understand where you are coming from.
> as I hope you will understand to whom the commentary
> was directed to.
>
> I appreciate your feedback. I have learned my lesson.
> If there is any way I could be of help just in case I
> make it to the Senate, with your support which I pray
> you will bless me with, please feel free to contact me
> anytime.
>
> May this Easter bring us Peace and Understanding.
> Thank you and God bless.
>
> Yours Sincerely,
> Sonia M. Roco
--------------------------------
Well surely, Mrs. Roco found a way to save herself from this crucial mistake she made, and even got some badly-needed exposure and makeover to help inch her way up to the Magic 12. Whether she was sincere or not, that would be up to the voters to decide. It is quite easy to accept an apology, but it is definitely hard to forget her insensitive act of stepping on a certain sector of society just to get some airtime. What might have really insulted families and friends of our uniquely loved brothers and sisters was the way Sonia Roco related autism to the severely-decaying world she wants to belong to, spelled out as P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S.
-Dexter
ASP President Ms. Dang Koe shares with us Mrs. Roco's letter:
------------------------------------
> April 6, 2007
>
> Dear Ms. Dang Uy Koe
>
> The comment was not intended to hurt you or those who
> have worked hard for 20 years to remove the social
> stigma associated with autism.
>
> Please allow me to clarify that the statement was
> uttered in a context not meant to deride or demean
> those who are suffering from autism and the people
> like you who care for them.
>
> It was simply a quick answer to the question,"what can
> you say about the Team Unity claiming they will make
> 12-0? My
> reply was " ano ba sila dreaming? para silang
> autistic, may sariling mundo."
>
> ".may sariling mundo" was what I added to my main
> statement. We are each living in our own individual
> world, while being members of a whole. That was the
> only reference I meant, insinuating that Team Unity is
> so engrossed in their own world that they shut out the
> realities of the community around them. The answer was
> directed
> to Team Unity and to Team Unity alone.
>
> I am sorry. if as you have expressed, the statement
> hurt you and the 400,000 families you represent.
>
> It might be of help to let you know that I had a
> sister who was a special child and at that time, she
> was called "retarded" and all those similarly situated
> were branded retardates. In Raul's family, his
> youngest sister was labelled by psychologists as
> "mongoloid", now termed Down's syndrome or Trisomie.
> Yes, I understand where you are coming from.
> as I hope you will understand to whom the commentary
> was directed to.
>
> I appreciate your feedback. I have learned my lesson.
> If there is any way I could be of help just in case I
> make it to the Senate, with your support which I pray
> you will bless me with, please feel free to contact me
> anytime.
>
> May this Easter bring us Peace and Understanding.
> Thank you and God bless.
>
> Yours Sincerely,
> Sonia M. Roco
--------------------------------
Well surely, Mrs. Roco found a way to save herself from this crucial mistake she made, and even got some badly-needed exposure and makeover to help inch her way up to the Magic 12. Whether she was sincere or not, that would be up to the voters to decide. It is quite easy to accept an apology, but it is definitely hard to forget her insensitive act of stepping on a certain sector of society just to get some airtime. What might have really insulted families and friends of our uniquely loved brothers and sisters was the way Sonia Roco related autism to the severely-decaying world she wants to belong to, spelled out as P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S.
-Dexter
Labels: ASP, autism, autistic, Philippine elections, Philippine politics, roco, sonia
posted by 3x + y at 1:08 AM
2 Comments:
Too little too late, I must say. Her tongue-in-cheek and candid reply to the TV patrol interviewer clearly belies her attitude towards autistic people and to those whom she defines as having their own world.
It would have been more acceptable if she simply said "I'M SORRY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART", and no more of that excruciating wordy acrobatics to try to get her foot out of her mouth!
aba aba! you have the makings of a prophet! And the hierophant really looks like a prophet. hhmmm....
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