Singapore—Malacañang has commended a Filipina autism-awareness advocate for bringing “tremendous pride and great honor” to the country as she bagged the first-ever Association of Southeast Asian Nations Prize during the opening ceremony of the 33rd Asean Summit and its related summits here in Singapore.
“The Palace wishes to congratulate Ms. Erlinda Uy Koe of the ASEAN Society Philippines and the ASEAN Autism Network [AAN] for winning the ASEAN Prize 2018 and bringing tremendous pride and great honor to the country,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“We cannot be prouder of Ms. Koe and may her exemplary works inspire greater righteousness and dignity in all of us,” he added.
Aside from bringing home the inaugural Asean Prize for her outstanding contributions in improving the lives of people diagnosed with autism, Koe also received a cash prize amounting to $20,000.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, along with with ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, awarded Koe the inaugural trophy.
Lim said Koe’s efforts and inspiring achievements, as seen through her life’s work by providing services and training to families living with autism, have fostered the ASEAN identity and promoted the regional bloc’s spirit.
“Ms. Koe’s work and dedication to improve the lives of autistic adults and children reflect the spirit that is deeply rooted in an ASEAN Community that engages and benefits the people. We look forward to her continued efforts in contributing towards an inclusive, resilient, people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN,” said Lim.
Koe, he said, supported inclusivity and forged closer ties in ASEAN using her advocacy.
Koe, Chair Emeritus of Autism Society Philippines, bested 48 other nominees vying for the recognition.
“In the spirit of servant-leadership, I share this recognition with the 13,000 fellow parents and family members who comprise the Autism Society Philippines and with countless other advocates from the ASEAN Autism Network. These angels labor to engineer institutional mechanism to improve the lives of persons with autism and their families,” she said.