SM Cares and the Autism Society Philippines (ASP) joined forces to bring an autism sensitivity training to over a hundred of SM City Bacolod’s employees, tenants, security personnel, and housekeeping teams over the weekend.
As mall frontliners, the learning sessions on caring for customers with different needs are part of the continuous efforts of SM Supermalls to promote social inclusion and maintaining safe environments in all its spaces nationwide.
For Autism Awareness Month, the training’s focus was on the autism spectrum disorder, and how to be sensitive to mallgoers and customers with such needs.
Leading the Bacolod team in this endeavor was Dang Uy-Koe, chair emeritus of ASP. She stressed the importance of increasing understanding, breaking down stigmas regarding autism, and setting a good example to peers when it comes to acceptance and inclusion.
Koe, who received the inaugural ASEAN Prize at the 33rd ASEAN Summit in 2018, is a prominent community leader and widely recognized for her contributions to furthering inclusivity.
Her efforts in the Autism Society have helped the organization become one of the most visible and vibrant disability organizations in the Philippines.
ASP’s vice president Maria Joyla Ofrecia, meanwhile, guided the training participants, who practiced inclusivity-readiness as they assessed real-life situations that they may encounter in their respective stores and assigned areas in the mall.
With SM Bacolod’s sensitivity training for 2024, Koe and Ofrecia’s preparation of the mall frontliners aligns with SM’s commitment of a safe and enjoyable environment for all its mallgoers, the mall management said in a press release.
At the end of their training, each participant pledged to activity promote an Autism-OK Philippines. ||
