Vickie Rushton gets poignant over Plantation Bay incident
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Bb. Pilipinas candidate Vickie Rushton gave her reaction regarding a Cebu-based resort and a mother with a son diagnosed with autism.
As a Down Syndrome advocate, beauty queen mVickie Rushton did not hesitate to give her two cents regarding the incident that happened at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu.
The occurrence involved a mother getting reprimanded by two resort employees because her child, who has autism, was screaming out of excitement while playing in the pool.
The mother revealed the said incident in her online review of the resort in Trip Advisor.
The said post was then criticized by one of its shareholders, Manny Gonzales, who said that the mother lied about her child's autism. The now-deleted post claimed that screaming is not a symptom of autism.
After reading the incident, Vickie empathized with the mother because she, too, has experienced bullying for having a brother, Toto Kian, who has down syndrome.
As quoted by The Qrown Philippines on December 11, “Last night, I read what happened to Fin and his mom when all they wanted was a happy getaway. I can't help but feel bad because, as a sister to Toto Kian, I have witnessed how other people can be mean at times before.
“I was even bullied for having a brother with Down Syndrome. You know what, they have simple joys, and their heart is so pure that no matter how bad others may treat them, they still see the goodness in people.”
She continued to say that people should educate themselves to be more empathetic to children with developmental disabilities.
“I want to advocate for them because these children depend on us to voice out what they can't say and to fight for them. Let us educate ourselves because there is so much we can do for them, and it's as simple as embracing them and being kind to them,” she said.
Ever since news broke out about the Plantation Bay incident, many netizens responded negatively towards the resort.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on December 11 that it would “conduct a parallel investigation” of the incident.
“We have yet to determine the most expedient way to handle the situation. Our action in this regard may set a precedent for similar situations in the future,” said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra with the media.
Its shareholder, Manny Gonzales, has already issued a statement apologizing for handling the matter but insisted that keeping children quiet was necessary to keep them safe.
Meanwhile, the non-profit organization Autism Society of the Philippines said that the staff of the resort “could do better.”
“This sad event is an opportunity for disability sensitivity training and a review of the resort's policies and procedures for compliance with the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” it said in a statement.
“Even the best-intentioned organizations can always use additional knowledge and improvements in areas they are not properly trained in.”
Vickie is currently vying for the Binibining Pilipinas crown that will happen in 2021.
Her main advocacy is to serve people with disabilities or PWDs, particularly those who have Down Syndrome, as inspired by her older brother, Toto Kian.
Meanwhile, find out how these celebrities express their love and support for family members who are differently-abled.
